Some things are meant to be
by CCNilesBabcock
Summary: After C.C. comes back from her stay at the place, she decides to quit in order to heal, leaving a stunned Niles behind. She decides to travel abroad to try and forget what had once been her life, but will she be able to do it? Or fate has something else planned for our favourite couple?
1. First day of my life

_**Prologue**_

 _ **First Day Of My Life**_

"Are you ready to go, Miss Babcock?" the young nurse asked from her hospital room's door. The girl had attended to C.C. during both of her visits to the clinic, and was one of the few members of the staff who C.C. had come to trust – apart from Dr. Bort, obviously. The girl had kept her company on many of her worst days, and even if C.C.'s first impression of her was a bad one (She was far too cheerful for the blonde's taste, and she bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain Nanny), she had come to genuinely like her. Even though she had tried, she hadn't been able to remember her name –it was something like Hannah or Haylie, she didn't know for sure. But the nurse had never seemed to be bothered by this; as a matter of fact she had told the producer she found it quite funny. "Miss Babcock, are you listening?"

C.C. hadn't turned around since the nurse had gotten into the room, for she was focused on staring outside her window. The producer's gaze was fixed on a mockingbird sitting on a nearby tree branch – the bird had recently hatched a few eggs, and only yesterday C.C. had seen the little hatchlings emerging from them. The bird was feeding them, and for some reason C.C. found the sight of it interesting. Well, if she was being honest, during her inpatient time she had learnt to amuse herself with little, and nature was one of the few things in which she got lost easily. The hospital had enormous gardens, so the blonde had made a habit of going out for a walk every morning after she woke up.

Her mind was currently jumbled with thoughts. The dreaded day of her discharge had come once again and – unlike the first time she was at the clinic – she didn't want to go back. She wasn't going back, really... not after her last conversation with Bort. But still, the fear of slipping back into her old habits once she was out of the clinic was there, lurking in the back of her mind.

In retrospective, C.C. now realised that she had been discharged far too soon the first time she was there, and the proof of this was her rushing back to the clinic after spending only one day at the Sheffield mansion. This time, however, she believed it was time for her to go back, only not to her old life. Her second stay at the hospital had been … _enlightening_? Yes, that's the word that popped in her mind: enlightening. She remembered she had spent the first days after her second admittance to the clinic walking around the premises, trying to understand what had caused her to relapse – and she had always gotten to the same conclusion: The Sheffield household.

She discussed this thought with Bort, and her therapist had agreed with her reasoning; the Sheffield mansion was not the ideal place for her to go back while she was in recovery. There she was exposed to a number of stressing situations, including Niles' incessant pranks and catty comments, and Maxwell and Nanny Fine's impending nuptials. C.C. had come to the conclusion that she needed to distance herself from them – at least for some time, in order to heal.

She had to deal with an inner turmoil that just couldn't be solved if she went back to her old surroundings, and she had yet to understand many things about herself and about the causes that had led to her breakdown. Bort had said that C.C. had finally understood how pointless pining after Maxwell had been, and after losing him and her work, she had been left with nothing. She was nothing. And she was right…

C.C. had realised her life had been defined by trying to become Mrs. Sheffield, and being the driving force behind the company; when she had been stripped of all of that, she had lost herself, she had lost her own identity. She had been almost ethereal, devoid of content or purpose… That's enough to drive anyone over the edge.

It took her long, but she had made a decision, and she was getting as far away as possible from the Sheffield's and from Niles. Speaking of the butler, he had been one of the recurrent topics of conversation with her psychiatrist; Bort had pointed out C.C. spent an awful lot of time talking about someone she supposedly hated, and had suggested that – perhaps – there was more than met the eye between them. C.C. had been reluctant to accept the idea at the beginning, but the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Niles was one of the longest and most stable relationships C.C. had in her life, and even if they fought like cat and dog, she had considered they were friends (in their own twisted way). Now, the problem was that things between them had changed since the infamous kiss in the den. Although it had been alcohol-fuelled, passion and an underlying sexual tension had their part in it. After many long and tiring sessions with her therapist, the producer had begrudgingly accepted she was attracted to Niles, but she was still reluctant to admit it was more than physical desire.

Bort had suggested she was afraid – afraid of what that admission entailed. The middle aged psychiatrist had received an unimpressed look as an answer, but Bort knew she had struck a nerve. She could read C.C. like a book, and no matter how hard the producer tried to deny it, she was certain C.C. harboured feelings for him. But she understood her reluctance; Niles had hurt her, after all.

Bort had been treating C.C. for over twenty years now, and if there was one thing her patient failed to do, it was opening up to others. The producer didn't have a good childhood, and her crude personality was a consequence of it. Since a young age she had strived to please others, and masked her true feelings behind a cold demeanour, which morphed into an ornery one as years went past. Her father had been absent most of her life, and her mother had never been a supportive parental figure either – quite the opposite in fact.

All this had led to the producer feeling like she didn't belong anywhere and bottle up her emotions, so – considering she also lacked an emotional support system – it was no wonder she had important emotional issues, or that she had recurred to alcohol and prescription drugs as unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Now, going back to the butler, she had noticed her patient and Niles had started getting closer almost a year ago. They had bonded gradually, and little by little the animosity between them had toned down, whilst their banter became almost good natured. They joked with each other, and Bort had seen C.C. visibly happier than ever before. However, everything came to an abrupt end when the butler pranked her after his heart attack; Niles had hurt her a lot with that underhanded trick and, as a consequence, the closeness they had been sharing had instantly disappeared. C.C. had pushed him away, and had recurred to ingesting outrageous amounts of alcohol to numb the pain. Topping insult to injury, his pranks became progressively crueller with time, and eventually, the combined pressure of his quips and the wedding, had resulted in C.C. crumbling down.

So, after being in a treatment centre for five months, C.C. had finally taken a hard decision: she had to go away. The producer had decided to travel abroad, and took her time to carefully choose a destination – which she had talked over with Bort and had received her approval.

But one thing was talking about going away, and another one was actually doing it…

"Miss Babcock, are you alright?" the nurse's voice brought C.C. out of her reverie, and she finally turned to face her.

"Yes, I am alright… uh…."

"Haylie," the girl offered, a gentle smile playing across her lips.

"Haylie," C.C. repeated, as though it was the first time she had heard that name. "That's right. And yes, I am ready to go," the producer crossed the room in confident strides, her only suitcase clutched in her left hand.

"Then follow me, you need to complete some forms before you are discharged and we'll provide you with all the meds that you were prescribed. The cab you called is already waiting for you outside, so I suggest we hurry up," Hailey informed the producer as she headed outside the room, C.C. following her closely.

Both women walked down the long hospital corridor in silence, eventually reaching the hospital's vestibule. There was a wide circular front desk in the middle of it, and C.C. spotted the familiar discharge papers laying on top it. Hailey handed her a pen and the producer then scribbled her signature on the marked places before returning both the forms and the pen . Hailey then handed her a little bag which contained her numerous meds, and walked her to the door.

C.C. stood in the doorframe for a long time, trying to delay her departure for as long as possible. The fears assaulting her were too many, and her courage was too little. What if she went back inside? Perhaps staying at the clinic for another month or so…?

"You have to go, Miss Babcock. You are ready," Hailey spoke softly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you are scared, but it's time to face the music."

"I am not scared," the blonde producer hissed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Then why are you still standing here?"

C.C. couldn't answer the question, so she just bit her lower lip and looked down at the floor. Damned child, she thought, why was she able to see through her? C.C. eventually straightened her posture, glanced down at Haylie and flashed a small smile at her. "Touché. I guess sometimes leaving is hard."

"Change can be scary, but sometimes it's necessary. You will be ok, Miss Babcock, have faith in you! You told me Dr. Bort said you've made more progress during these past months than during all the last five years combined!" Haylie nudged her in the ribs, teasingly.

C.C. gave a soft nod, and began walking towards the cab alongside her nurse. "I know, I know," she mustered.

Haylie helped her put her suitcase on the trunk and politely opened the door for her. Just before the blonde producer climbed onto the backseat of the car, she turned to her nurse and gave her a quick hug. Haylie knew just how much it meant, coming from her.

"Good luck, Miss Babcock, and goodbye too."

"Goodbye, Haylie."

The two women smiled at each other, and finally C.C. got into the cab. As the car began its way back to the city, the producer observed the outline of the hospital in the distance. It became progressively smaller, until she couldn't see it anymore. She released a long sigh while she made herself comfortable in the backseat –she was finally going back, and she could only hope things worked out this time.


	2. Walking Away

_**Chapter 2**_

 _ **Walking Away**_

Maxwell Sheffield was stressed. The last months of his life had been a whirlwind of events: he was getting married, he had almost been disinherited, and his business associate had left for an undetermined period of time. The first weeks after C.C. had gone away had been bearable, and he had managed to run the company fairly well without her; but as time had gone by, he had found the task to be increasingly hard. Until then he hadn't realised just how much work C.C. did, and without her to schmooze backers, or to read through the extensive paperwork and scripts, Maxwell felt like he was about to collapse.

In short – he had spent his days sitting in his office, working until unholy hours of the morning. He was currently reading through the tenth horrendous script of the day, a pained grimace etched across his features. He had his head resting on his hand, and his brows were knitted in a deep furrow.

"Excuse me, sir," Niles' dry voice said from the office door, "I will be gone to attend to some errands, and I'll be back in half an hour. I'll start preparing lunch as soon as I return."

"That's fine Niles, thank you," Maxwell didn't even look up from the script, and waved a dismissive hand at his butler. Ever since C.C. had gone to the sanatorium, his childhood friend had been more aloof than usual. He was constantly sad, and not even sparing with C.C.'s replacement had cheered him up. He was doing a wonderful job, as usual, but without him snooping around or throwing playful insults at C.C., the house seemed devoid of its characteristic spark of life. The house was too silent, and it unnerved Maxwell to no end.

He glanced up at the door and observed Niles walking away crestfallen, and sighed. When was he going to admit that he missed the blonde woman? Even he could see that Niles needed C.C. to get by! The only thought that consoled him was that between today and tomorrow, C.C. would be back, and all of his problems would be solved. He wanted to focus on his wedding, not on his work, but without her to help him out at the office, work was the only thing he could think of.

The producer stretched on his chair, and threw the poor excuse of a script to the nearest trash bin. What was the author thinking when he wrote it? Was he high or what? Shaking his head, Maxwell rose to his feet, and headed to the kitchen to get a snack – yes, a good snack and a cup of tea would surely soothe his nerves.

Just as he was about to push the kitchen's swinging door open, the doorbell rang. For a second he expected to hear Niles' footsteps going to the entrance, but – as Maxwell remembered Niles had gone out – he turned to the living room and languidly walked to the door. The moment he saw who was standing behind it, though, he felt his heart leaping into his mouth; there, clad in one of her usual smart business suits, stood none other than his business partner. Not wanting to waste another second, the Englishman sprung to the door and opened it, beaming.

"C.C.! Welcome back!" he gave her a hug as a greeting, and then allowed her to step inside the mansion. "You have no idea how much I've needed you around the office. And of course we've missed you-"

"Maxwell can I have a word with you?" she cut him off in her usual no-nonsense tone.

For a second, Maxwell could only stare at her, a glint of consternation shinning in his eyes. Now that he truly looked at her, he noticed she seemed somewhat… different? Not exactly physically speaking, but there was something definitely different about her. The way she was looking at him perhaps…? There was something in her whole demeanour that had shifted, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. Her body language was the same as always: she stood tall, head high, arms folded across her chest, and had a stern expression plastered to her face. For the unsuspecting eye, she looked just as she had before going to the sanatorium, but knowing her like he did, Maxwell could tell she had changed.

"Sure thing, C.C., let's head to the office so we can talk privately," he offered, his voice almost sounding shy.

C.C. gave a sharp nod and led the way to the study, where she sat on her usual place on the green leather sofa. Out of habit, C.C. crossed her legs while she waited for Maxwell to take his own place behind the desk. Once in his seat, the British producer rested his elbows on the desk, and hesitantly spoke. "What's the matter, C.C.?"

This was it, she thought. She squared her shoulders and forced herself to fix her gaze on him. Taking a shuddering breath, she opened her mouth and spoke in an almost inaudible whisper. "I quit."

Maxwell had to do a double take. What had she just said?!

An uncomfortable silence swelled inside the room, and in his eyes she saw a flash of shock, followed by utter disconcert. Maxwell could only stare at his business partner, unable to formulate even the simplest of questions. Inside his mind an avalanche of doubts was assaulting him, but he couldn't voice them…

"Wh-what did you just say?" he eventually choked out.

C.C. looked down at the floor and repeated, "I said I quit."

"B-but why? W-what happened?" Maxwell stammered, leaning back against his chair.

"Maxwell, I'd rather keep my motives private."

"To hell with that!" Maxwell snapped, ramming his hand against the desk. "You've been gone for almost five months, I'm crumbling down under the weight of the company, and you suddenly want to quit?! I think that as your business associate and friend, I deserve an explanation."

"Maxwell… you wouldn't understand, it has to do with… I… I…" C.C. covered her face with her hands and heaved a sigh. How was she going to explain this to him? She didn't want the Englishman to think she was crazy or unstable, and apart from that, she also felt uncomfortable talking about her mental health with him of all people.

"Try me," he deadpanned, anger still straining his voice.

"Look, Maxwell, after my second stay at the…" C.C. had to gulp down a lump in her throat. She still wasn't able to say it aloud, she still was afraid to acknowledge she had needed help. "…The Place, I've reached to some conclusions."

"I still don't see how one of those conclusions could be quitting."

C.C. was craving a strong drink, and her anxiety levels were through the roof by now. Yes, she definitely needed to take her distance, but it seemed her business partner wasn't going to let her off the hook without a proper explanation. He couldn't blame him, though. She had worked on that company for almost twenty years, and now she wanted to leave? But still, she was struggling to find the words to voice her motives. The blonde rubbed her temples, trying to nurse her intense headache. "I am leaving because it's the best for my recovery. Maxwell, I am battling… I am recovering from a mental breakdown, and both my therapist and I agree that going back to the place where it happened won't do me any good. Here I am exposed to too many stressful situations… And I can't deal with anything right now."

C.C. wasn't looking at Max, but had she been doing so, she'd have discovered the saddened expression on his face. He knew, and he understood. Even if he was thoughtless and oblivious, he had learnt a thing or two about his business associate, and one of them was that she had a delicate emotional health. Over the years he had seen C.C. become a highly-functioning alcoholic, and jump from one failed relationship to another; the woman had never allowed anyone to get through her thick skin, and had masked her sufferings behind her brassy demeanour. In hindsight, it had been a matter of time for her to fall down the abyss. Although he knew it was not his fault, Maxwell couldn't help but to feel a bit guilty for her breakdown – he was her friend, probably one of the few she had, and he had done nothing to help her.

Maxwell stood from his chair and sat back down next to C.C.. He draped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her to him. The blonde rested her head on his shoulder, and pressed her eyes shut, letting her friend comfort her.

"C.C., I do understand," he broke the silence, his voice soft and soothing. "Although I've never been through a mental breakdown, I do understand the need to heal. You see, when Sarah died I went through a long mourning period, and there were times when I wished I could just run away and leave everything behind. But I couldn't do that, I have children that depend on me; luckily both you and Niles – and then Fran – helped me go on. You ran the company by yourself for over a year, and I'll always be grateful for that. So if you need some time to settle your mind and recover, then I support you. Although I don't understand how leaving us behind will help you, I won't question your decision nor try to convince you otherwise."

Well, that was a curveball, C.C. thought to herself. She had never imagined that Maxwell of all people would be so understanding. She had imagined he'd be furious when she'd told him she was quitting, or that he'd try to convince her to stay… But the black haired man had surprised her, and for the first time in almost twenty years, she actually felt he had paid attention to her. She was thankful for him respecting her privacy and not asking for reasons she couldn't yet give, it was nice to know he supported her, and in a way, it made things easier.

"Where are you going?" he asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

C.C. shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and looked away. She fiddled with the end of her sleeve while she searched for the right words to say. He had been extremely understanding, but she didn't want him to know where she was going – she didn't want anyone to know, really. She simply needed to disappear. "Maxwell, don't take this in the wrong way, but I-"

"You prefer to keep it to yourself?" he gently cut her off, and received a faint nod as an answer. "Does anyone else apart from you know where you are going?"

"My therapist, and I plan on telling my father tonight, before I leave," she answered quietly.

Maxwell's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. The plane leaves at 9:00 am, so I'll leave my penthouse around 6:30 am."

"Oh, I see..."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence once again. There was nothing left to say, really, and both of them knew it. The pair of producers stood up, and Maxwell leaned over to hug C.C.; contrary to what her old self would have done, she didn't linger for long, for she didn't want to delay her departure any longer.

"I guess this is goodbye, C.C.. Would you like me to call the children and Fran so they can say their farewells, too?"

"No, Maxwell, I am in no condition to face any more farewells. Tell them I said goodbye," C.C. attempted to smile and then turned to the door. She didn't want to say goodbye, saying so to Maxwell had been hard enough as it was.

"And what about Niles?"

The blonde stopped dead in her tracks, her whole body tensed. She hadn't been expecting that question, nor did she have a proper answer to it. "What about Rubbermaid?" she spoke in a brittle.

"C.C., are you seriously going away without saying anything to him? You two had your ups and downs, but you've known him for fifteen years, and I dare say you care for each other."

C.C. didn't turn to face Maxwell, for her eyes were already shinning with unshed tears. "That's exactly why I can't say goodbye to him," she said over her shoulder before opening the door and breezing out of the office, leaving a pensive Maxwell behind.

Unbeknownst to them, someone had been listening to their conversation through the intercom. Niles stood rooted to the spot, with his finger still on the intercom button and her words ringing inside his mind.


	3. Pack It Up

**_Chapter 3_**

 ** _Pack It Up_**

Ever since Niles met C.C. Babcock, he knew he had an almost unnatural fascination with her. The day she had first stepped a foot inside the mansion, tall and proud, he had felt such a strong distaste for the woman that he had made it his personal mission to unnerve her. It had started as a game, and she had seemed to like it, too, for she had given as much as she took. Usually it was he who won their battle of wits, but he had always admired her endurance.

As years had gone by, the initial distaste had morphed into attraction – he hadn't been able to stop ogling her whenever she wasn't looking, and he had often found himself fantasizing about a certain blonde hellion. She had captivated him, there was no other way to describe it; she was an exasperating, stuck up beauty, and their sparing had always brought a smile to his lips. Their bantering had soon become the highlight of his day, and attraction had turned into lust.

They were constantly orbiting each other and they had bonded through their fights. They had been almost amiable, and a nice distraction during their work hours. He remembered Sarah Sheffield used to joke they'd end up together eventually, an idea that had been quickly discarded by both of them. But deep down the idea hadn't repulsed him at all – in fact, he had found it quite appealing. But who was he kidding? He was in a lower station in life, was almost sixteen years her senior, and Babcock had made her view on dating domestics perfectly clear with the phrase _'Babcocks don't mingle with the help'._

Sarah's death had been a turning point in their lives – C.C. had closed up, and solely focused on running the company, while he had put his efforts in consoling the three Sheffield kids and his childhood friend. The two of them had had to deal with the aftermath of Sarah's death, and as a consequence they had drifted apart. There had been no time for bantering, there had been no time for witty insults or pranks, for they had had to try and fill the void Sarah's death had left behind. Neither of them had been able to grieve her, for they had had to be the pillars to sustain the remains of what had once been a happy family. Sarah's death had altered their dynamic beyond repair, and no matter how much he had wanted things to go back to the way they were before Mrs Sheffield's demise, it was obvious there was no turning back.

What Niles felt for the woman was not lust; it had morphed into a much stronger emotion. He had tried to deny it, to bury his feelings in the back of his mind, as though that would make them disappear – but they were always there, floating in the back of his mind.

When she started pining after Maxwell, something broke between them. Niles had been beyond furious; he hadn't been able to believe the woman was trying to take Sarah's place! It had outraged him, but it had also hurt him. He hadn't known why it hurt so much, but the thought of her marrying his childhood friend had been enough to make him want to go away – he'd be damned before living in the Sheffield mansion if C.C. became Mrs. Sheffield. The butler understood his anger, but why the hurt? She was his nemesis, for Christ's sake! It was then when Niles' pranks became much more aggressive, and the banter had escalated to new levels of cruelty. The moment she had acknowledged the change in the nature of his insults, she had begun insulting back with the same spite; it was not a game anymore, it was a war.

It was during this period of time when C.C. began to drink regularly. He had observed her slip into alcoholism little by little, and soon came the prescription drugs. She changed, she became colder, crueller… and it had made him desire her even more. And so, with time, they had gotten used to their new dynamic, for they had been too proud to put a stop to it.

Anger and sadness had enveloped the Sheffield mansion like an aura until Fran Fine had arrived, lighting everything around her. She had been the sun coming out after a long storm, and with her warmth she had slowly helped everyone out of their misery. The kids were happier than they had been in years, Maxwell had started interacting with the world again, Niles found a confidante and a friend, and even C.C. had softened a bit. The 'Fine effect' had also affected the nature of their banter, and soon it had turned playful again.

They had fun, they laughed, they fought like cat and dog once again, but everything was fine. It was then when Niles began to understand the nature of his feelings for her. Only after the kiss in the den had he been brave enough to admit to himself that he loved her. Niles had cursed himself for that – he had cursed his stupid heart. Why did he have to fall in love with her of all people? He was hopeless, for he knew she'd never even consider him.

 _And Yet…_

After the kiss everything had changed once again. He had noticed their banter was almost flirtatious, and little by little they had gotten closer. They danced, had gone out on one or two dates, they had enjoyed spending time together – it was just like the old times.

But then came his heart attack – and his bloody prank. He still didn't quite know why he had done it, especially when the blonde was the reason why he had survived. He remembered that, shortly after she had stormed out of the room screaming and cursing in such a way she would have rivalled a sailor, Maxwell had told him C.C. had been the one who had called the paramedics, that she had stayed by his side, and that she had even cried when she thought he had died. His little prank had ruined all the progress in their relationship, and she hated his guts once again. But she had added a new ingredient to their tumultuous relationship: she had decided to ignore him, something she had never done before, and it pissed him off to no end.

His insults had always been a way to catch her attention, for he knew that if it weren't for his wit she wouldn't even have looked at him, after all he was just a servant… So her new attitude had awoken the aggressive Niles in him. Hence his banter and pranks becoming meaner than ever, and – if he was honest with himself – he had somewhat enjoyed seeing her crumbling down.

But he had never thought he'd break her! Not in a million years.

He remembered the panicked look in her eyes, how scared she had been when he took her to the sanatorium, and guilt had latched to his heart since the moment he had dropped her there. Niles felt ashamed of himself, ashamed of silently allowing her to slip into insanity – ashamed of being insensitive enough to reach the point of kicking her when she was down.

He was just not the same without her, and his only consolation was visiting her at the place; he had visited her every day, but as she had usually been doped up, she hadn't even acknowledged his presence. He remembered he'd talk to her ear, throw gentle zingers at her and sometimes, when his courage hadn't faltered, he he'd take her hand in his and caressed it with his thumb. Eventually, the producer had come back, but she was not the same. And yet again, he had let his stupidity screw things up when he pranked her the day she came back from the sanatorium. To his dismay, she had disappeared for another two months and – to make matters worse – she had told the hospital staff that she didn't want any visits.

But nothing could have prepared him for this. He could have never imagined there would come a day when C.C. Babcock decided to slip out of his life. Yet there he stood, in front of the intercom, his eyes wide as saucers, and a heavy feeling in his heart. The only thing he could think about was the question 'Why?' – Why was she leaving, why hadn't she said goodbye to him…? Why, why, why...

Niles could feel his heart beating wildly against his chest, his hitched breathing and the slight trembling of his body as he slowly staggered to the nearest chair and collapsed on it. The butler hid his face in his hands, trying to digest the news; what was he going to do now? Was he going to let her go? Well, he couldn't stop her, but he could at least try to reason with her, couldn't he? He quickly discarded the idea, though; he couldn't be so selfish to try to make her stay – not after his behaviour towards her these past months.

But he wanted to say goodbye, he wanted an explanation, and he was going to get it.

Niles jolted from the chair and took the car keys from the kitchen counter. If she was going to leave, then he'd at least say goodbye to her.

* * *

C.C. sat on her bed, carefully folding one of her many sweaters. There were piles of clothes around her, and just in front of her there were three half-full suitcases. There was soft music playing in the background, and C.C. was feeling in a better mood than when she had left the mansion. Her thoughts were revolving around what she was going to do once she had arrived to Buenos Aires, and considering they were in winter there, she had made a mental note to pack a generous amount of sweaters and scarves.

The idea to travel to Argentina had come to her one afternoon at the hospital. She had been sitting in one of the recreation rooms, reading a book, when a tango had started playing on the radio. She had been taught how to dance tango for her cotillion, and she was quite a good dancer, too, so the blonde had figured it would be nice to visit its birthplace. Besides, no one would think to look for her in a third world country (something she considered an advantage), and she was looking forward to practicing her Spanish – not to mention all the Soap Operas she'd be able to follow there.

After she had folded her last sweater, she carried the pile of clothes to one of the suitcases, carefully put them inside it and – once she was pleased with her work – she stretched her body and headed to the kitchen, anxious to have a glass of water.

There was a giddy sense of excitement coursing her body; she was actually looking forward to this trip – it had been years since anything had actually felt exciting, and it truly was a nice change of pace. She had spent most of her adult life working, making her way in the ruthless show business – but now, now she wanted (and deserved) to relax.

She absentmindedly gulped down her water, making a mental note of all the things she still had to pack. She was almost done packing her clothes, had already prepared her carry on and her necessaire; probably she only had to finish tidying her penthouse and checking that all her paperwork was in order before she left.

Once C.C. had quenched her thirst, she put the glass she had used in the dishwasher and headed back to her bedroom, enjoying the nostalgic sound of a tango that was coming from the radio in her room. Halfway to her bedroom, however, the producer was startled by the shrilling sound of the bell. C.C. frowned – she hadn't invited anyone, who could it be?

The blonde turned on her heels and went to the door, trying to smooth her clothes and fix her dishevelled hair. She figured it was her father, he had mentioned the possibility of coming by her penthouse in the evening.

However, her answer came seconds later, and it was miles away from what she had expected. When she looked through the peephole C.C. couldn't help but to groan loudly – what was he doing there?! Why on Earth Niles was knocking at her door? He was, frankly, the last person she wanted to see. The producer momentarily considered not answering the door, but there was something about the look in his eyes that told her to do it. He seemed nervous, and a part of her was curious to know what had brought him there.

"What do you want, Rubbermaid?" she barked from behind the door, still not opening it.

"Miss Babcock, please let me in, I need to talk to you."

"This is not a good time Hazel, tell me tomorrow at the mansion," C.C. knew it was a blatant lie, but she could live with it. If he entered the penthouse and saw her suitcases, he'd probably start asking questions she didn't want to answer.

"Miss Babcock, I know you are leaving, please open the door."

Only seconds after the words had left his mouth, the door was swung open by a visibly angry C.C.. How did he know? Had Maxwell told him?! Fantastic, now she was going to have to give explanations to Niles of all people. "Come in," she grumbled, allowing him to step inside her penthouse and slamming the door shut behind him.

They stood in front of the other for a long period of time, none of them daring to speak. He was nervous, and she could tell it – his hands were hidden in his pockets, he was rocking back and forth on his heels and he hadn't been able to look at her in the eye. As a matter of fact, he was so tense the air around him was charged, and C.C.'s scowl didn't help to soothe his nerves either.

"Well, you said you needed to speak to me, what is it?" she eventually broke the silence, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

He forced himself to look at her, and forgetting who they were and how their relationship had worked for the past fifteen years, he took one of her hands in his and asked "Why are you leaving?"

The contact of his skin on hers momentarily distracted C.C., but she quickly snapped out of it and yanked her hand away. "It's none of your damn business," she spat, opening the door once again, "Now leave."

"Please, Miss Babcock," Niles was trying the gentle approach; he was not ready to give up just yet. He needed to understand, she just couldn't leave him like that… "Please, I beg you-"

"I said get out!" she cut him off, her tone slightly raised.

"Babcock, don't be-"

"Are you deaf or what?! GET THE HELL OUT!"

That was it! That was the line that made him lose it. He kicked the door shut once again and rooted himself to the spot, arms crossed across his front. "No, I won't! You are leaving to God knows where without giving any explanations and I want to understand! What happened with you, Miss Babcock?"

"Why do you care? Why the sudden interest in my life? I don't owe you any explanations, nor do I intend to give them to you, Niles. Now please get out of my penthouse, I still have packing to do," she hissed, fighting the urge to have a drink with all her might.

"Then let me help you," He retorted, successfully putting her off balance. She was right, she didn't owe him explanations, and he had had quite some nerve to come demanding them. It had been wrong, he had no right… but he couldn't let her go without a proper goodbye, either.

"I said that- w-what?! Are you really offering to help me pack? Is there a punch line I should be waiting for?" she folded her arms over her chest, but Niles could see the encouraging glint of curiosity in her eyes.

"I am serious, Babcock. Let me help you with your luggage," Niles repeated, relaxing a little now that – at least – he had picked her attention.

"You've never been any help to me before," the blonde said, still unsure to let him stay.

"Take this as a farewell gift. Besides, I seriously doubt you've ever packed your own suitcases before, and I happen to be a professional in that area."

There was a moment of hesitation, but a smirk crossed her lips and gave away her answer. "Hm, I guess you are right. After all, who better than a maid to help me pack?"

Niles smiled back at her, happy to see she still had it in her. How was he going to miss it, though, the teasing, the zingers, the bantering… He couldn't believe it was coming to an end. "That's what I thought. Lead the way, Babs."

"Please Niles, ladies first!" she gestured toward her bedroom and awaited for him to walk to it, a sly smile gracing her features.

"I always knew you were the more masculine of the two of us," he teased back, and offered his arm to her.

"I wear the pants, baby," she purred, lacing their arms together.

With Niles' help, her luggage was ready in less than an hour, and not only she had a surprisingly good time with him, but he also offered to whip a light lunch for them – which he promptly did as soon as C.C. had given her approval. During the meal zingers and witticisms flew to and fro, and for a moment, they felt as though things had momentarily gone back to the way they had been a year before, when they could tease each other lightly and throw good natured zingers at each other. She had noticed the concealed sadness in his eyes, however, and it unsettled her. Why was he displaying such a sudden concern for her? Why was he sad for her departure? He had claimed to hate her, yet it looked like the prospect of a Babcock-free existence was painful for him.

"Well, it seems we are done here," he said as he sat the last of her luggage next to the door.

"Yup, it seems we are. So, uh… thank you for your help," the producer muttered lamely.

"It was my pleasure," came as his equally feeble reply.

Again, the pair fell silent, both knowing the imminent moment had come. He stuffed his hand in his pockets, and started to rock his heels back and forth once again.

"This is goodbye, isn't it?" Niles asked, his voice sounding almost… pained?

"So it seems," the producer bit her lower lip, and hesitantly opened the door. Why was this so hard? He was Niles, for God's sake! Her nemesis, a pain in her ass, the bane of her existence… yet saying goodbye to him was proving to be the hardest thing she'd ever done.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you are leaving? Am I going to see you again?" he blurted.

"Niles…" C.C. shut her eyes for a second, trying to contain the tears that were threatening to fall down. She couldn't allow herself to cry, not in front of him. Why was he asking these things? "Why are you pretending that you care? Why now?"

He really wanted to tell her his reasons, he really wanted to tell her he didn't want her to go… but he couldn't. There were unspoken rules between them, and one of them was not talking about what they felt – and most importantly – about what they felt for each other. The butler opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out of it.

"That's what I thought," she almost whispered, and gestured outside the door. "Well, thank you for your help and for a wonderful last meal, Butler Boy. Send my regards to Maxwell."

Niles stepped out of her penthouse, the heavy feeling in his heart having returned full force. It was real, she was leaving, and there was nothing left to say or nothing he could do to stop it. He began to walk down the corridor, but before he got to the elevator he turned to her and two pair of intense blue eyes found each other, electrifying the air.

"Was this my fault? Are you leaving because of me?" he finally asked. It was not what he wanted to ask, but it was a doubt that haunted him too.

She wanted to tell him – no, scratch that, she wanted to scream to him the reasons behind her departure, but she couldn't do it. The man in front of her was one of the biggest nuisances in her life, yet he was able to make her smile like no other person could. She wanted to kiss him, to punch him, to hate him, to _lov_ -

No. No. No! She wasn't going there, not when he was right in front of her. _'Close that door and throw away the key'_ , she chastised herself. She simply shrugged, and lowered her gaze. "Goodbye Niles."

That was the last thing she said before closing the door, not daring to look at him for another second. He lingered there for some minutes, but eventually he began his way back to the mansion, feeling older and lonelier than ever before.


	4. Hello, Buenos Aires!

**_Chapter 4_**

 ** _Hello, Buenos Aires!_**

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and hope you've had an excellent flight_ ," the cordial voice of the pilot boomed through the cabin, awaking C.C.. The former producer rubbed the bleariness from her eyes as the pilot informed the passengers about the time, temperature and repeated useful information about the costumes and the documents that they'd need to enter the country. The flight had been long, but luckily enough (and thanks to a wonderful sleeping pill) she had fallen asleep halfway to her destination – hence her feeling her flight had been faster than it really was. C.C. glanced at her clock – it read 20:30, the plane had arrived about half an hour delayed.

The producer unbuckled her belt, stretched her tired body on her seat and looked outside the window – the sky was pitch black, only freckled by the fewest stars, and there was a pale moon lighting the city with a pleasant silvery glow. It felt weird to actually be in Argentina; the realness of the situation was a bit disconcerting, but she felt oddly content when she realised that she didn't regret leaving New York behind. She wanted a fresh start, and Buenos Aires was offering it; she was a stranger in that city, and there were hundreds of places to discover and enjoy. Never in her adult life had C.C. taken time to just enjoy herself – yes, she had gone on vacation many times before, but she had never truly taken the time to relax and just have a good time. This was a completely new experience for her, and she could only hope that Buenos Aires didn't disappoint her.

For a brief moment, as she observed the many passenger still snoozing in the comfortable first class seats, she was reminded of the vacation she had taken two years ago. The blonde had gone to Hawaii, and she remembered that that time she had wanted to get away from everyone in New York, too. Maxwell and Nanny Fine had travelled to Israel, so she had believed she'd have a tranquil rest in a paradisiac Island…

 _Wrong._

Not even an hour after she had arrived to her hotel, a familiar baritone voice had said _"shake it, Miss Babcock!"_ and her vacation had come to a sudden end. C.C. remembered she had barely left her hotel room after their encounter, and the few times she had ventured outside, she had limited herself to visit the hotel's private beach or the pool. She remembered that, on the beginning, seeing Niles hadn't been so bad – she had thought they might be able to have a good time, but after the butler had said _"Daylight come and me wan' go home"_ she had been determined not to cross him again.

She could only hope that, this time, she could manage to have a 'vacation' without coming across with anyone of her past… especially with anyone that even remotely reminded her of the obnoxious butler.

And speaking of Niles – the moment he had left her apartment, C.C. had felt a strong urge to cry. Why had he gone to her place? Why had he asked her those questions? Why had he wanted to say goodbye? Given their history, C.C. had thought her nemesis would be skipping in one leg when he had realised she had decided to go – he had won, she had surrendered and he had all the right to gloat over his triumph.

 _And yet_ …

Exactly the opposite had happened.

Not that she'd ever say it aloud, but deep down she had an idea of why he had appeared at her door, demanding for an explanation. She had put a stop to their games, and after almost twenty years of constant bickering, her sudden departure had surely been disconcerting for him; she had changed the rules of the game and surrendered, something neither of them had ever done before. Sure, there had been times when she had won their battle of wits and some others she had lost it, but she had never just surrendered! She had never allowed him to get the last word or given him the satisfaction of putting a halt to their banter; that was unlike her. C.C. was a fighter by nature, and Niles was perfectly aware of that, hence why her slipping out of his and the Sheffield's life had been more than a little appalling.

The blonde was sure there had been something more behind his visit than just her giving up on their games, though, for she had seen a deep sadness in his eyes. For the brief moment she had thought he'd say something after she had asked his reasons for caring about her departure, she could have sworn that he wanted to ask her to stay… It was as though he wasn't sad because her _'hobby_ ' (as he had called her moments before their not-so-drunk kiss) was leaving, but because someone important to him was leaving. He wasn't upset because he wouldn't be able to zing her anymore, no, he was upset because he'd probably never see her again.

But that was the nature of their relationship, it was full of _'what ifs'_ , it was full of moments when both knew what they wanted to say but couldn't bring themselves to do so. They were – in a way – two cowards, and she damned herself for that. But even if she knew there was more than met the eye when it came to her relationship with the butler, the truth was that her feelings for him confused her – _Niles_ confused her. They could fight like cat and dog one day, and the following they were dancing to Ella Fitzgerald in front of the fireplace. Her mind couldn't yet grasp why she worried so much about a man she supposedly hated, it couldn't understand why – after everything they had gone through – leaving him behind had been the hardest thing she'd had to do.

It was ironic, she had pinned after Maxwell for years, yet the person who she was going to miss the most and who was currently plaguing her thoughts was none other than Niles, her Butler Boy.

What did he mean to her? What did she feel for him? And why did her stomach tie in a painful knot whenever the producer thought about him?

Time would tell, she guessed. There were many things C.C. had yet to analyse, and Niles was undoubtedly one of them.

The blonde was eventually brought out of her reverie by a gentle stewardess, who informed her it was time to get off the plane. C.C. gave a polite nod, gathered the little carry-on she had brought with her, took out her passport and landing card, and scooted out of her seat and into the Jet way. Sticking to one side of the ramp, the former producer walked briskly towards the immigration line, which thankfully was not long. After having presented her papers, she made a stop at baggage claim and subsequently went through customs.

She arrived to her hotel almost an hour later, exhausted and craving for a proper bed. C.C. had chosen to stay at the " _Alvear Palace Hotel_ ", one of the best and most luxurious hotels in the city. Her accommodation was located in one of Buenos Aires' most exclusive streets, Avenida Alvear, and it reeked of old-school class. Her room in itself was a sight to be seen: not only it was bigger than her own penthouse in New York, but it also had the décor of an authentic Parisian apartment. The decoration was enhanced by curtains and upholstery in French fabrics, crystal and bronze chandeliers, a magnificent oak flooring and it included works of art by the most prestigious Argentinean painters. He father had been right when he had suggested her to stay there, the place was truly a palace.

After having given a generous tip to the young bell boy who carried her luggage to her suite and taken a look around her suite, C.C. walked into her bedroom, toed off her shoes and finally plopped herself down on the king-sized, fluffy bed. The former producer sighed in relief the moment her body touched the mattress, taking a moment to relish on being able to rest her body on a comfortable surface for the first time in over eleven hours. She closed her eyes and sucked in a calming breath; she had really gone away, she had really left everything behind, and for the first time in a year, C.C. felt at peace with herself. It is said that sometimes, in order to solve a problem, you need to look at it from another angle; perhaps this little escapade was her attempt on doing so. Without the pressure of handling a business, feeling rejected by the man she had supposedly loved, or the confusing feelings that Niles evoked in her, she finally felt like she could breathe.

Once she had recovered some of her strength, the blonde sat back up and scrambled to the phone over her nightstand. She had promised her father she'd call him as soon as she had arrived to her hotel, and as he had been supportive of her decision to go away, she figured she owed him the call. Stewart's support had come as a surprise for C.C. – she had expected her father to disagree with her idea – but the older Babcock had given his approval without hesitation. His words still ringed in her ears: _'Kitten_ ,' he had said in his characteristic tranquil tone, _'If that's what you feel you need to do, then I support you. I am your father kiddo, and up to now you've never disappointed me.'_

Hearing those words from him had meant the world to her, and had been the final push she'd needed to leave. C.C. was determined to rebuild her relationship with her father now that she was trying to change; Stewart had been absent most of her life, but since that time he had come to visit her when they went together to Barbara Streisand's concert, he had been trying to make up for the lost time. Unfortunately, it had been her who had decided to reject his attempts to bond with her. After her breakdown, however, Bort had suggested the former producer to rely on Stewart as her main emotional support and –although she had been reluctant at first – she'd eventually figured that the idea couldn't that bad.

She dialled Stewart's number and – while she waited for him to answer – the blonde walked to the minibar in search of something to eat. She had to settle for a pack of Pringles and a can of diet soda. _'No matter,'_ she thought as she took the lid off, _'there's always room service.'_

"Hello, Stewart Babcock speaking," her father's voice said from the other side of the line.

"Hello daddy, it's me."

"Hello Kitten!" said her father, the cheerfulness in his tone hinting he was delighted to hear from her. "How was your flight? Are you at the hotel?"

"The flight was long and tiring but I've finally arrived to my hotel – on that note, I'll definitely take you up on your offer of using the family jet when I decide to fly back to New York –" she informed him, tossing a chip inside her mouth. "By the way, this place is truly fantastic! I feel like I'm living in Versailles, my bed even has a canopy."

"I told you it's a wonderful hotel! I stayed there when I visited Argentina during a business trip, and the hotel was up to my every expectation. Do you know what you are doing tomorrow?"

"Not really, I'll probably visit Recoleta cemetery, as you suggested. I'll ask for some brochures and maps at the reception," the blonde answered before taking a sip of her refreshment. Although she had investigated about the many touristic attractions that Buenos Aires had to offer, she hadn't exactly planned what she was going to do once she had gotten to the city. C.C. had decided to be spontaneous, to do what she felt like instead of following a schedule.

"Sounds like an excellent plan. Listen, C.C., I know you said you didn't want to discuss this by phone but…" the elder man took a moment to breathe deeply before resuming the conversation. "… Maxwell's butler called me today. He told me Max wanted to know if you had arrived safely to your destination."

C.C.'s body tensed. Niles had called her father? And since when did Maxwell remember to ask if she had arrived safely anywhere? "And what did you tell him?" her voice had hardened, and the relaxed conversation they had been having before was quickly turning into an unnerving one.

"I told him that I didn't know, and that I'd tell you that he had asked for you as soon as I spoke with you."

"Aha…. And what do you expect me to do with this information?"

"I don't know… call him?" Stewart suggested, his voice softening. He only used that tone when he wanted to persuade her into doing something. "The Sheffields are concerned for you sweetie, one call is not going to hurt you C.C.. You don't have to give away your whereabouts if you don't want to."

C.C. used her free hand to rub her temple in a futile attempt to nurse the strong headache she was suffering from – it probably was the product of a long and stressful day, but mentioning the Sheffields and Niles only made it worse. "Fine, I'll call the Sheffields, but only this one time," the former producer huffed, conceding defeat. "I promised to talk to you regularly, not to them."

"And what if they start asking me for you?" her father asked.

Damn… that was a good question.

She remained silent for a second, weighting her options. She could ask her father to lie – to tell Maxwell and the family that she had gone to some tropical paradise; or she could ask him to tell the truth – at least part of it. No matter how things had ended between her and Niles and the Sheffields, they were still her friends – at least the latter were – and she owed them part of the truth. What could it hurt, after all? Her father didn't need to reveal her whereabouts, but he could tell the about how she was doing every now and then if they asked.

"Tell them the truth," said C.C., "Only omit the information about my location. I highly doubt Maxwell will call you again any time soon, though. He has an upcoming wedding to plan, so I dare say I'm not one of his worries now," she spat. It still angered her, but she wasn't sure why… After her second stay at the place, C.C. had come to terms with the fact she that didn't really love Maxwell, but she was still trying to figure out what he meant for her. Was he a friend? An obsession? A crush?

"Alright, Kitten. I should probably go to bed now, and so should you. After such a long journey you must be exhausted, and I have a business meeting tomorrow morning. Will you call me again tomorrow?"

The blonde smiled at the poorly concealed expectation in her father's tone. It was endearing, really; Stewart was thrilled that she had chosen him as a confidant in this time of need. Her father was a good man, and although he had been an absent parent when she had been a child, he truly cared for her and wanted to make up for his past mistakes. "Yes dad, I'll give you a call tomorrow evening. Goodnight."

"Night, honey."

The line went dead a few seconds later. C.C. sighed and ran her hands through her short blonde curls, bracing herself for the call she was about to make. She took her hand to the phone, and carefully dialled the number she knew by heart.

The tone buzzed, and as the seconds ticked past, her nervousness increased. She knew who was more likely to answer the phone, and the idea of hearing his voice scared her. Although it had been hours since she had last seen him, it felt like they had been separated for an eternity. Would it be like this forever? Or she'd be able to move on? The former producer didn't exactly know what the future held – everything was uncertain, and even if she knew she'd have to return to the States one day, seeing both the Sheffields and Niles again was not certain,

"Sheffield residence," a familiar dry British voice answered, bringing her out of her musings.

C.C. released a breath she didn't realise she had been holding before clearing her throat. "Hello, Niles, it's C.C."

There was a silence between the two people for the fraction of a minute, and C.C. could hear his increasingly ragged breathing at the other end of the line. Niles was indeed shocked, he hadn't expected her to call so soon – if not at all – after the way they had parted…

"Hello, Miss Babcock. I take you've arrived to your destination," he spoke in an even voice, almost successfully masking the slight tremble in it.

"I have, Niles. Could I speak with Maxwell?" she cut the conversation short. She was not ready to talk to Niles, not after their farewell – not when she knew there were millions of things left unsaid. The awkwardness between them was almost palpable; there was an elephant in the room, and they both knew it, but given their history they'd probably never talk about what happened last night at her penthouse.

"Of course. Wait a minute," Niles politely responded, masking the disappointment in his voice. The butler marched to the office and knocked the door so as to politely announce his presence. He observed his tired boss raising his eyes from the pile of paperwork he was working on before he gestured for him to come in. "Forgive me for interrupting your evening sir, but Miss Babcock's on the phone for you."

Maxwell leapt from his chair and practically snatched the phone from Niles' hand. C.C. had called? Why? "Hello, C.C.?"

"Good evening Maxwell, I was calling because my father told me you'd asked if I had arrived safely to my destination," she said, trying to keep her tone even.

The British producer's brows knitted in a furrow. He had never called Stewart, what was she saying? "I beg your pardon C.C.?"

"My father told me you asked Niles to call him to ensure I had arrived safely to my destination," she repeated.

"Uh… sure… I definitely did that…" he stammered, glancing at his butler suspiciously. "And I'm glad to hear you are already there. You haven't changed your mind about keeping your location a secret, haven't you?"

"I am sorry, but no. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"Are you feeling better there?"

C.C. couldn't help but to smile at the question, he really was trying his best to be respectful and supportive. Perhaps she had been wrong all these years – Maxwell did pay attention to her, Maxwell did care, only he cared for her as a friend, not as a love interest. Granted, it wasn't the type of attention she had been looking for, but it was definitely better than being invisible. Someone cared, and it was wonderful…

"I guess I am, Max," C.C. said softly.

"I am happy to hear so. Thank you for calling back, and feel free to do it anytime you want! Fran told me to send you her love and so did the kids,"

"Tell them I said hi. Well, Maxwell, it's getting late here and I should go to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow, and after an eleven hours long flight I really need to sleep."

"Of course C.C., I understand. Have a good night and enjoy your day tomorrow," her former associate responded.

"Thanks," there was a moment of hesitation, and both friends remained silent. It seemed both were waiting for her to say something, and she knew what it was. She was debating herself if she should say it, but the more she thought about it, the more doubts she had. Taking a deep breath, she decided to push her fears aside, " and send my love to Niles," C.C. spoke quickly, not even stopping to breath in between her words. She'd have time to analyse what she had said later.

Maxwell remained in stunned silence for some seconds, and his eyes instinctively travelled to the man standing in front of him. His butler hadn't left the room after he had handed him the phone, and even if he was pretending to dust, Maxwell knew it was one of his poorly concealed attempts to eavesdrop. The edges of his mouth curved into a small smile as he began to grasp the reasons behind Niles' deflated attitude: he cared for her, but he wouldn't allow himself to show it due to the nature of his relationship with C.C.. She cared too, and was just as scared as Niles… "Sure C.C., I'll tell him. Goodnight, partner."

The line was already dead when he answered her request, so he hung the phone while shaking his head. Maxwell looked up at his friend and handed him back the phone; his butler seemed to be unfocused, as though his mind was far away from there and – knowing him – it probably was.

"C.C. sent you her love," the producer informed his friend, and watched with amusement how Niles' eyes twinkled. He composed himself almost immediately, and concealed the once obvious happiness behind his usual unimpressed façade.

"Babcock sending love? Well that's certainly a shocker, her kind are usually not able to experience what we know as emotions."

Maxwell chuckled, and leaned back in his seat. Niles might be able to mask his true colours behind an impassive look, but he couldn't hide the hint of happiness in his normally dry voice. "I can't believe it, the woman isn't even in the country and you insist on zinging her!"

"I am sure her ears are burning right now," his friend retorted, heading for the office door. "If that's all sir, I'll retire for tonight. Good evening, sir."

"Night, Old Man," the British producer replied, listening how the sound of Niles' footsteps became progressively faint until they disappeared. In the distance, he heard a door being slammed shut, and then silence enveloped the study once again. Maxwell didn't go back to his paperwork, however, instead his mind went over his last conversation with C.C.. She certainly sounded happier, and she'd been brave enough to call the mansion after… wait...

Maxwell clasped his hands together, his grin widening. Although he cared deeply for C.C., he had decided to give her time before attempting to contact her – knowing his former associate she'd appreciate the space – but it seemed that his butler couldn't wait to hear from her. He had never ordered Niles to call Stewart, as C.C. had said, so this could only mean Niles had done so and concealed his interest by blaming the call on him.

"When are you going to accept that you need her, old man?" Maxwell thought aloud before leaving the office, smiling to himself at both having discovered his friend's scheme and at the thought of his wife-to-be waiting for him in bed. After such a long day, Fran's arms around him were all he needed.

Had the producer been looking at his butler at the moment, he'd have realised that he didn't just need her – he loved her. Niles was getting under the covers, pressing one of C.C.'s scarfs against his nose. He had stolen it when he had helped her pack, so every night before he went to sleep, he'd be able to breathe in her scent and imagine she was still there.

* * *

 **AN: Hello there! If anyone wants to see the hotel I've described, here's the link to their site: www. alvearpalace. com**

 **Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the story, and I'd love some reviews! Thanks for reading :)**


	5. You'll Think Of Me

**_Chapter 5_**

 ** _You'll think of me_**

' _Requiescat in pace'_ were the words that read on the top of the tall neo-classical entrance to Recoleta cemetery. The place had an eerie yet bewitching aura, not to mention its more than interesting story; It was the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires, and it had been built over a hundred years ago – in 1822, to be precise. Many notable citizens from the Argentinean Social and Political Elite were buried there, and as such, the cemetery was decorated with expensive statues and mausoleums, many of them having been designed by notable Argentinean sculptors, such as Lola Mora or Luis Perlotti.

The blonde producer hadn't been particularly interested in the place, and she had decided to pay it a visit only because her father had suggested it; the moment she started the tour, however, she became absolutely marvelled by the bizarre cemetery. She got away from her group shortly after the guide had started her exposition – C.C. wasn't in the mood for hearing incessant blabbering coming from an overly-enthusiastic tour guide, nor for being around a bunch of eager tourists who took a picture of every insignificant trifle they came across with.

She had been in Argentina for a week now, and she was absolutely in love with the city. It had a certain _' je ne sais quoi_ ', and by the architecture she could tell it had a strong European heritage. She had read on a brochure it had once been called the " _Paris of South America_ ", and although the country was not a rich one anymore, some of the old day grandeur remained – like a faint echo, resounding through the city. She had soon discovered – to her absolute delight – that the city had a busy theatre industry, and she had already seen one or two shows. As a matter of fact, she had been most impressed by the magnificence of 'Teatro Colón', an internationally rated opera house where she had seen a ballet.

The blonde had planned to visit the cemetery the following day of her arrival, but unluckily it had been raining, so she had decided to enjoy her day at the hotel spa. Speaking of the day at the spa, she had had the most curious of experiences there, and in the hydro-massage circuit, when something had been dropped on her head….

" _What the hell?!" the blonde woman screamed, immediately turning around to find out who had dropped a sandal on her head. "What were you-" for a second, C.C. was on the verge of screaming, for in front of her stood a man that could easily be mistaken by Niles' twin. The only noticeable difference between the two men was the hair – the stranger had hazel hair, which was slightly darker and a little bit longer than Niles'._

" _I am so sorry!" the man spoke with a strong Scottish accent, "I wasn't paying attention while taking off my sandals, and I accidentally dropped one on you. Are you alright?"_

 _C.C. had to force herself out of her stunned state, and clumsily nodded at the man, who was now lowering himself inside the hydro-massage circuit, too. "Yes- I… I'm fine," the blonde stuttered._

" _Oh, I am happy to hear so," he retorted, flashing a lopsided grin at her (What the hell?! Was this some twisted joke from the universe?! Really?!) "I am Patrick, by the way. Nice to meet you," he offered her his hand, which she took and engaged in a good natured shake._

" _I'm… Claire," it wasn't a lie, she thought, but now that she had fled from her old life, she'd rather be addressed by a different name. "Nice to meet you, too."_

They had spent the afternoon talking and fooling around; just getting to know each other. Surprisingly enough – considering who Patrick bore a resemblance to – they had gotten pleasantly along. As it turned out, the man had come to visit his Argentinean family, and had recently divorced. It mesmerized C.C. just how similar he was to her former nemesis, but it was only a physical resemblance, for the man –unlike Niles – had a sweet yet, carefree nature. She had bumped into him at breakfast a few days after their first encounter, and – as they both were alone – they had decided to have their meal together. In a way, it was nice to have company, and as the man didn't exactly know her, she could be whoever or whatever she wanted. As a matter of fact, the producer had purposely omitted the fact she was a rich socialite running away from her old life; instead, she had told him she was just a woman looking for an adventure. The man had arched a questioning eyebrow at her, which had made C.C. realise just how suggestive her words had sounded.

" _I am not looking for THAT kind of adventure,"_ she had said, nudging Patrick in the side. _"Let_ me rephrase my previous statement: _I am searching for my own identity, and that's an adventure on itself."_

Patrick had remained pensive for a while, pondering over her words _. "Well, an Argentinean author called Jorge Luis Borges wrote that Life is made up of a single moment – the moment in which a man finds out, once and for all, who he is."_

And who was she? What defined her? Since her breakdown the blonde had been trying to answer that question, but her mind was never able to come up with a decent answer. She was rich, pretty, successful… yet those traits seemed to be insufficient in her opinion – she wanted to believe she wasn't just social labels, yet the former producer was unable to define herself as a person. C.C. knew she was not nice and that her demeanour was quite unpleasant and could also be considered a tad aggressive, but she wasn't a bad person either! Just like any other human being, she had her weaknesses and one of them was how easily she was influenced by the opinion of her peers. She had tried to fit into the cruel world of New York's Social Elite, and had failed miserably – she was not married, she had no children and had ended in rehab.

But why did she want to fit in? She didn't even like those people! Why did she need to impress them? If she was being honest, nothing good had come from searching for that type of approval; it had only made her miserable and resent people who were happy. Part of her knew that that was why she hated Nanny Fine. It was just that the woman was so exasperatingly happy and good natured! Fran had never fought to fit in, for people just loved for who she was… So, this brought her back to her original question: Who was she?

That's why she had chosen that day to visit the cemetery – she needed to think, and the peaceful and silent atmosphere of the gigantic cemetery offered her the perfect chance to do so. It was a sunny winter day; the breeze blew softly, relaxing her further, there wasn't a cloud in sight, and she could hear birds singing in the distance. Niles would have said she was in her element – seeing as she was the Ice Queen – and a little smirk brightened her features. As she slithered through the cemetery while observing the silent beauty of it, she allowed her mind to focus solely on Niles. She had never allowed herself to think of him before, but it was time for a change.

For years the butler had been both the bane of her existence and the highlight of it; yes, they bantered and pranked each other, but behind their childish behaviour she believed that, perhaps there were concealed feelings – many more than she was willing to admit. C.C. had tried to convince herself that she only lusted after Niles, that what she felt for him was just physical attraction, but since the kiss in the den the blonde had realised it wasn't just lust.

Their relationship had always been somewhat _flirtatious_ , yet she had pinned after Maxwell… Why? What had made her waste years in a man who clearly would never love her? Probably her upbringing had a lot to do with it, Maxwell was the stereotypical perfect husband for a rich socialite like her – but if she ignored the fact that he was handsome and rich, would she be interested in him? As much as it pained her to say so, the answer to that question was a rotund no. They were just too different: his personality was quite dull, he was thoughtless, and his British reserve unnerved her… She was a passionate woman, and required an equally passionate man by her side, and – if she was being honest – Maxwell was not that man. In hindsight, she had been obsessed with him because she had convinced herself that being with Maxwell was the only way she could be happy. Hence why she had crumbled down when he'd proposed to Fran, it was as though the nanny had taken away her only chance of being happy.

Niles, on the other hand, was just as passionate as her, and his quick wit was enough to keep her on her toes. Many nights she'd find herself smiling at the memory of one of his clever zingers, and he had never failed to cheer her up when she was having a bad day. But most importantly, the butler seemed to like her –in his own twisted way – for _who she was,_ and not for what she had or for what her surname was. No matter how much they fought or how many insults he hurled at her, she had discovered an undeniable fondness in his eyes; she had never experienced that before. Niles was the first person who had dared to speak up to her, and he had helped her begin to understand her station didn't mean she was worth more than other people – although she'd deny so even under threat of death. After all, she was still an obnoxiously proud woman.

He seemed to understand her better than anyone else, he knew her ups and downs, and he had been one of the most stable relationships in her life. That's why it had hurt when he had pranked her after his heart attack – they had been getting close, and with one simple action he had made her lose all her trust in him. C.C. was afraid of the feelings he awoke in her, for she couldn't understand them, and it was off-putting. She was a woman who had always followed logic to control her actions or take decisions, but when it came to feelings, there was not a correct or logical answer – something that made her incredibly angry. Logically, she knew that a woman of her class shouldn't even be interested in a servant, but her complicated feelings – and this was something she still was reluctant to accept – couldn't care less about his station in life. There was a part of her that considered Niles her equal, the only person who understood her bizarre sense of humour and who was an intellectual match, but the logical part of her mind wouldn't allow herself to give in to what her heart wanted.

Since the kiss in the den, however, her need to have him close had skyrocketed, and she had often found herself daydreaming about him whenever he came by the office. The highlight of her day had been their verbal sparring, and whenever they had spent time together her heart soared with happiness. The time he had escorted her to the Broadway Guild awards, C.C. had been surprised by how charming he had been, and what a charismatic man he could be. But even though they had wordlessly agreed to put their guards down and enjoy themselves, the knowledge that everything would go back to normal after the ceremony was over had saddened both of them. If they had such a good time together, why the need to pretend they didn't? Why couldn't they show the other that they cared? Both of them were cowards who didn't dare to change the rules of the game, and this was the price to pay.

Distance was helping her to see things clearly, and one of them was just how much she cared for Niles. She missed him terribly, and she constantly wondered why of all people it was him the one who she missed the most. She could no longer deceive herself, the man currently plaguing her thoughts was not just her enemy or a bizarre friend, he was so much more…. Then, the question that remained was: What exactly was Niles to her? Was he an infatuation? Or the feelings she had for him were deeper? Time would tell, she guessed.

The blonde's thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the sight of the tomb she had been looking for: Eva Peron's tomb. Unbeknownst to Maxwell, she had seen Lloyd Webber's play – _Evita_ – and she was intrigued by the legendary First Lady. Her whole story was romantic, enthralling and was like a real life fairy tale: the poor girl who married the right man and became the heroine and defender of the poor until she had a tragic end. Eva had re-invented herself, she had gotten over her past and had won her place in history; perhaps it was time for her to do the same… Her breakdown had been a turning point in her life, she had finally hit rock bottom, and now it was time for her to re-discover herself in order to rise again. Perhaps she needed to break to finally discover who she was.

* * *

A week had gone by since her departure, but to the butler it felt like it had been longer. Ever since Miss Babcock had left, he was lacking the usual mischievous twinkle in his eyes; it was as though he had no energy to function – he could only think of her, and how things had spiralled out of control. How had he allowed the woman he loved to slip through his fingers? He should have been brave enough to tell her that he wanted her to stay, he should have helped her when he saw she was falling apart. Although he knew her breakdown wasn't exactly his fault, he couldn't help but wonder if his pranks had helped to push her over the edge.

"Scarecrow? Are you there?" a nasal voice whined, interrupting his thoughts.

"Uh, yes, I am sorry Miss Fine, my mind wandered. What were you saying?" he tried to sound nonchalant, and avoided her gaze by focusing on scrubbing the already shinny kitchen counter.

Fran, however, wasn't fooled by his pretended composure, for she had realised something was off with him since Miss Babcock had left. Hence her pestering Niles about it since the blonde had left, but so far her efforts to bring out the truth from her friend had been fruitless. Fran gently placed a hand on his forearm, wordlessly asking him to stop scrubbing, which he reluctantly did. "Hey, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange since Miss Bab-"

"I assure you the She Devil's departure has not affected me," he interrupted her, "I am glad she's gone! I've been trying to get rid of her since she first stepped a foot in this house," Niles blustered, still refusing to look at the soon-to-be Mrs. Sheffield. In truth, it hurt to say those words, it hurt so much… but he wasn't going to allow his sadness to taint his friend's upcoming wedding. This was a time for celebration, and he couldn't… wouldn't allow himself to break down. He had a façade to keep up; he had been able to keep it in place for over ten years, and now it wouldn't be any different.

The former nanny shook her head in frustration. She could see right through him; ever since Miss Babcock had gone away to the sanatorium he was not the same, and now that she had gone away for an undetermined period of time, he had become a mere shadow of the man he had once been. He had stopped eavesdropping, was eerily quiet most of the time, and his smile was a rare sight – actually, Fran was sure he hadn't smiled truthfully since Miss Babcock's departure, for she had only seen forced smiles coming from him. The brunette loved meddling in people's lives, and normally she had no problem on doing so, but this was different – this was Niles…

"Oy, don't get so defensive, I was only trying to help!" she chided, gently slapping his back.

"I'm… I'm sorry Miss Fine, I've been feeling under the weather today and I am tired," he excused himself, and resumed scrubbing the counter.

"That was a poor excuse, Scarecrow. Why can't you just accept that you miss her?"

"That is preposterous, Miss Fine!" he hissed, walking away from his friend.

"Niles, please, don't hide things from me, let me try to help!" Fran retorted, following him around the kitchen. He wouldn't allow her to see his face, and she could see just how tense he was by his body language; it was the one of a man who was being pushed to the limits of his endurance. "Come on Scarecrow, this is no time to-"

"Miss Fine, stop. I can't… I don't want to speak about my feelings with you, much less when you should be worrying about your wedding and not about me."

"To hell with the wedding, Niles! You can't expect me to-"

"Miss Fine, stop!" the butler bellowed, slamming a fist against the kitchen counter. His outburst successfully silenced a now slack -jawed nanny, and he took a calming breath before resuming the conversation. "Miss Fine, please, this is not the time to talk about this. Can you please forget about the issue for now?"

It wasn't just a question, it was a plea – a desperate plea – and for the first time in her life, Fran Fine decided to shut up. She understood it wasn't a matter of lack of trust in her; it was just that he couldn't bring himself to talk about missing Miss Babcock with anyone. In a certain way, his whole world had crumbled down, and he had to get used to the idea of C.C. being gone. Fran pitied him and had an almost frantic urge to try to help him, but the right thing to do now right then was just offering him her silent support.

"Alright Scarecrow," Fran sighed, finally conceding defeat ."But I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."

Niles released a long sigh, and finally turned to his friend, who had her arms open. He walked to the former nanny and allowed her to hold him, if only for a little while. "Thank you, Miss Fine," he pulled away from her and straightened his tie. He needed to get out of there, for he could feel the familiar heat behind his eyes that signalled oncoming tears. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some errands to attend to. I'll be back in some hours."

Fran nodded at him, and observed him breeze out of the house through the back door.

When Niles knew he was out of Fran's sight, he allowed the tears to fall down. It wasn't the first time the thought of Miss Babcock had made him cry, but he had never felt so desolated before. He walked aimlessly for almost an hour, until he noticed the outline of C.C.'s old building. He thought about continuing his walk, but at the last moment he changed his mind, turned on his heels, and shuffled towards it. Once inside, he greeted the doorman and rode the elevator to the 25th floor. He had been to Babcock's penthouse once before, and if his memory served him right, there should be a spare key underneath the doormat. He had gotten this information once when he had taken a really drunk C.C. home. It was the time when he had escorted Miss Babcock to the Broadway Guild Awards; after they had grown bored of dancing they had shared a nightcap at the mansion, but C.C. – as she usually did – had gone overboard with her ingest of alcohol. He had briefly thought about calling her a cab, but in the end the gentlemanly part in him had won the day and he took her home. C.C. had been pretty much unconscious by the time they got to her door, so Niles had taken her inside the penthouse, put her into bed and then, after planting a sweet kiss on her forehead, he had gone back to the mansion.

They had never talked about that night again, just as they hadn't mentioned their alcohol fuelled kiss, but what had been different this time, was that – when Miss Babcock had arrived to the mansion the following morning – she had thanked him for the evening. Niles knew he meant more than their date, but being who they were, they chose not to say it explicitly.

Just as he had expected, he found the little silver key tucked under the posh doormat that lay before her doorstep. He supposed that she had forgotten to store the key when she had gone away. Not that he would complain, really. Niles put the key into the lock and turned it until he heard the clunking noise that signalled the door was open; he hesitated for a second, was he really going to do it? Why was he there? What did he expect to find in that penthouse? He couldn't really give an answer to all of his questions, but when he finally turned the doorknob he answered the first one.

Although her penthouse had been empty for only a week, it appeared as though it had been unoccupied for years. The drapes were closed, there wasn't an ornament in sight, and there were a few sealed boxes scattered across the room. A thin layer of dust covered almost every surface, and there was a musty smell of a place long shut away. As he ventured into the different rooms of her penthouse, his heart sunk: the deserted apartment was a strong proof that she didn't intend to come back any time soon; her bed was unmade, and the few clothes she had left behind were piled on it. What he presumed it had once been her study was full of boxes with infinity of contracts and scripts inside them, the picture frames were now empty and the majority of her books were gone from the bookshelves.

It felt like a slap in the face, and for the first time since Miss Babcock had left, he allowed himself to give in to his sadness. Niles cried his eyes out, his faint sobs echoing through the empty penthouse – she was really gone, and how she missed her! It felt good to cry, though, he had forced himself to remain composed for far too long, and now –in the privacy of her deserted apartment – he was finally able to grieve.

Slowly, his crying became quiet sobs, and then slowed into more normal breathing. The heavy feeling in his heart was still there, but he now felt as if he could breathe. The butler slowly headed to the kitchen, looked for a feather duster, some cleaning supplies and then proceeded to clean her apartment. He wasn't exactly sure why he had the urge to do it, but in a way, keeping her apartment tidy – as though she'd get home in any moment – made her departure a little less painful, a little less real...

Once he was done with both the kitchen and the living room, he followed with her study and then with her bedroom. The butler tidied the bed, put her clothes away and opened the drapes, allowing the sun to stream into the room, warming the otherwise chilly room. He stood in front of the window for a long time, observing the magnificence of New York while he wondered where she was now, and what she could possibly be doing.

* * *

 **AN: Well, here's another chapter! I hope you like it :)**


	6. Getting Closer

**_Chapter 6_**

 ** _Getting Closer_**

"I am not eating that, Patrick!" C.C. deadpanned as she stared in something akin to horror at the strange aliment that the waitress had just placed in front of her. The dish Patrick had ordered for both of them was some kind of hearty, thick, yellowish stew (which, in her opinion, had a certain resemblance to barf) and the consistency in itself was enough to unsettle her. "There is no way I'm putting that in my mouth," the blonde declared, pushing her casserole away.

"Come on, Claire, it's delicious! My mother used to cook locro all the time." Patrick shook his head while he took a spoonful of locro to his mouth. "Besides, up to now you've loved all the Argentinean dishes I've made you taste."

"This is different, none of the things I tried before looked so... so… revolting as this stew!" the producer huffed, gesturing helplessly at the casserole laying in front of her.

"You said the same thing about alfajores, and now you can't stop eating them," he retorted, pushing her locro back to C.C. "Don't be stubborn, trust me, you are going to love it!"

"Fine! Fine. I'm only doing it for you to stop pestering me," C.C. reluctantly submerged her spoon into the steaming aliment and then proceeded to take it to her mouth. Although she had to admit the dish had quite an enticing aroma, C.C. had to slam her eyes shut before tasting it in fears she'd puke at its revolting appearance. The moment she finally savoured her meal, however, her taste buds experienced an explosion of flavour. It was delicious! Despite its revolting appearance, locro was proving to be one if the best dishes she had ever tasted. Patrick soon realised this and flashed a mocking grin in her direction.

"Not a word, Patrick, or I'll rip your head off," she warned him, helping herself to yet another spoonful of locro.

"Wasn't planning on saying anything, the knowledge I was right is enough," he answered, giving her a triumphant, roguish smirk.

C.C. rolled her eyes skyward, she hated being wrong, and him rubbing it in her face wasn't funny, either – it reminded her of past arguments she had had with a certain blue-eyed butler that C.C. was missing like crazy. She quickly shoved his memory to the back of her mind; there was no point in ruining a perfectly pleasant meal by thinking about Niles. It was just that she zoned out whenever she thought about him, and Patrick didn't deserve to be ignored. Try as she might, however, thoughts of the insufferable butler crept into her mind's eye, and for a little while she was lost in thought, enjoying the comfortable silence that had settled between them they ate.

During the last three weeks the former producer had spent a lot of time with Patrick. As he was part Argentinean, he knew the city like the back of his hand and had taken her to visit the most wonderful places such as the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, The Cabildo, Buenos Aires botanical garden, among many others. One of those memorable places was the "Galileo Galilei Planetarium"; they had gone early in the morning and had had a picnic on the premises. The planetarium was located in the middle of a large park in Palermo neighbourhood, which was another attraction in itself. It had three artificial lakes within the park and a beautiful rose garden; they had chosen to sit by the main lake while they munched on medialunas (the Argentinean version of croissants) and drank tea. She remembered that the whooshing sound of traffic had been a bizarrely relaxing background noise – constant, rhythmic, and almost lulling…

The day had been beautiful; the sun had shone, there had been some lone clouds scattered across the sky and the temperature had increased a little bit – so much so that they had only wore thin coats over their winter clothes. To the unknowing eye, it would have appeared that they were a couple, but the blonde's thoughts had been centred in another man.

" _What's troubling you?" Patrick asked, helping himself to another medialuna._

 _His question brought her out of her reverie, and she just shrugged. "Nothing is troubling me… My mind just wandered."_

" _If something isn't troubling you, then it must be someone," Patrick insisted, taking the liberty to drape an arm around her shoulders. She accepted the contact, and leaned against his side._

" _How did you know?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper._

" _Are you kidding?" he exclaimed in disbelief, as though her question had an obvious answer. "It's written all over your face! Your eyes were unfocused, you were chewing on your lower lip and you've barely touched your breakfast."_

 _A line appeared between C.C.'s brows as he spoke, was she really that easy to read? Or was this man just observant? The only person who had been able to read her like a book was Niles and, in some way, showing what she felt made her feel vulnerable. Her harsh façade had always been a defence mechanism, for underneath it hid an insecure woman. The former producer had learnt to hide her emotions since childhood, and the few times she had allowed herself to open up had ended up in disappointment. Even with Niles, the only time she had showed him that she cared, she had been hurt…_

" _Am I that easy to read?"_

 _Patrick remained silent for a few seconds, taking his time to analyse her question before formulating a response. It was something he did a lot – stopping to think before he spoke – hence his usually wonderful and insightful responses. "No, not really," he started, shaking his head lightly, "But there are moments when you give away what's going on in your mind."_

 _C.C. arched a questioning eyebrow at the man, not quite understanding his statement. "What do you mean?"_

" _It's hard to explain, but it's like there are some specific moments, whenever you are distracted or deep in thought, when you drop your defences and I can see what's going on inside you. They are rare moments, and I suspect that's because you are usually fighting to keep everyone out. I wonder what happened in your life for you to feel the need to push everyone away."_

 _Well, he had summarised in a few words what Bort had been trying to tell her for the past fifteen years. She had never thought about it in that way… pushing everyone away was part of who she was, she had learnt to conceal her true self from the judgemental world, and most of her relationships hadn't prospered due to her reluctance to trust her partners. It seemed Nanny Fine had been right all those years ago, she had to stop pushing people away in order to be happy._

 _Now, this new information brought both an alarming and interesting thought to her mind: Patrick had said he could only read her whenever she was distracted, while Niles could see what was going on with her whenever he wanted. Perhaps, just perhaps, the butler was the only person she had unconsciously decided to let in. How bizarre, she thought, the man who had made her life a living hell was also the one who she trusted the most._

" _I've never thought about it… And to answer your first question, yes there is someone – well, I wouldn't say he is troubling me, it's more like he's confusing me. I've known this man for almost twenty years, and we kind of bonded through zingers and pranks. We've never been kind to one another, but I care for him, I care for him quite a lot, and I suspect he cares for me too," her words trailed off as the memory of Niles standing at her door the day she left crept to her mind. His eyes had shown such a deep sadness, yet his words hadn't._

" _Ah, so you are running away from him, aren't you?"_

 _C.C. had almost answered no, but it wouldn't be fair, in some point Patrick was right. In a way, she had ran away from Niles, too, because her feelings for the butler confused her to no end. Granted, she had ran away from many things: Maxwell, Nanny Fine, the wedding, alcoholism… But she couldn't deny that her relationship with Niles was one of the main issues she needed to sort out before going back to New York. "Yeah, you could say so… but that's not the only thing I am running away from."_

" _Well, sometimes we need to get lost to be found," he sentenced, handing her another medialuna._

That morning at the planetarium she had understood a lot about herself. C.C. was grateful for having met Patrick, both for his fantastic advice and also because, in some twisted way, it was like having a part of Niles there, with her. Unluckily, he was going back to Britain in two days' time, so they had decided to make each day count. As it was 9th of July, Argentina's Independence Day, and the hotel was hosting a grand gala that night, Patrick had asked her out and they were attending the party together. C.C. had accepted his invitation more than happily; she missed going to parties, and she was certain the night would be more than pleasurable.

"Have you heard? Tonight, at the party, there's going to be a tango show! You'll finally be able to show me the dance moves you've been bragging about," Patrick said, breaking the silence that hanged between them.

C.C.'s mouth curved into a smile. She had been wanting to dance tango since her arrival to Buenos Aires, but she had never had the chance to do so. "That's amazing! And I assure you my moves will leave you gaping."

"We'll see about that. At what time do you want me to pick you up?"

The former producer snorted, and threw a mocking smirk in his direction, "Patrick, we are staying in the same hotel, you don't need to 'pick me up'. We'll just meet at the hotel's lobby around 8 o' clock."

The Scottish man rose his hands in mock defeat, and flashed a boyish grin at her (Jesus Christ, whenever he did that it was like having Niles in front of her…) "Alright, I was just trying to be a gentleman. It's settled then, 8 o' clock at the lobby. Now, what do you think about finishing our meal so we can continue touring the city? Today I want to take you to Olivos, my mother's childhood neighbourhood."

"Sounds like we have a plan for the day. Let me just order the check so we-"

"Oh no, I'll pay this time," he interrupted her. Seeing she was about to protest, he rose a silencing hand and smiled gently at her "Please, just this one time?"

C.C. hesitated before smiling back, "Alright, I'll humour you, but the next meal is on me."

* * *

"Niles, is everything ready for tonight?" Maxwell's voice asked from the intercom.

"Yes sir, I only need to finish preparing the dessert. Your tux is in your room, the waiters you hired will arrive in about two hours and I've already finished preparing dinner," Niles responded, momentarily stopping kneading the dough.

"Excellent, old man."

Tonight was the first backers' party without C.C., and Maxwell was nervous. His former business associate had always charmed their backers with her characteristic sincere insincerity, something he wasn't good at. He remembered the brief time C.C. had quit when he had refused to give her a full partnership, and backers had been a royal pain in the ass. Of course he had Fran by his side now, and he was sure his wife-to-be would help him through the party, but part of him wished C.C. was there with him, too.

Niles had been working tirelessly to ensure the party's success, and he was more than pleased with his outstanding work. However, part of him knew he was working extra hard so as to keep him distracted, it was a way for him to stop thinking about his former nemesis.

He was trying to go on, but he just couldn't; without her life was dull, pointless, boring… her absence was almost unbearable, and not because he needed to hurl insults at her, but because he needed to _see_ _her._ He needed to hear her usual 'Hello Hello' , he needed to breathe in the aroma of Chanel N°5 mixed with her shampoo, he needed their banter, he needed to hear her sultry laugh…

In short, he needed her.

He couldn't believe it only had been a month since her departure, for it had felt like it had been longer. She was constantly in his mind, and no matter how many times he cleaned her penthouse, or distracted himself with shores, the pain was always there. Niles felt as though he had aged ten years, and happiness had eluded him ever since she had left; he was just existing, and he couldn't stop reproaching himself for allowing her to go away. The only thing that made him almost happy was calling Stewart Babcock – of course he always said he was calling on Maxwell's behalf, but truth was that he just wanted to know how she was doing without blowing his cover. Her father never spoke much, but he had told him she was enjoying herself while she toured a wonderful city. He couldn't help but to chuckle at the thought of C.C. dressed in casual clothes and with a camera hanging from her neck as she toured a city; the image was so unlike the producer, yet it was strangely endearing.

Was she ever going to come back? And in the case she didn't, what would he do? But it wasn't time to think about that, he chastised himself, it was time to prepare a party, and for now he'd focus on that. Once the dough was properly kneaded, he lowered the rolling pin and then proceeded to fragment the dough before putting it in the oven. He had an hour and a half until dessert was ready, so he decided to relax in the meantime – after all, his favourite soap was about to start! The tired butler walked briskly into the living room, anxious to take a deserved break, but before he could take a seat on the couch, there was a loud bang at the door. He turned on his heels and lumbered across the living room while tiding his tie – something he stopped doing as soon as he realised it was just the mailman.

"Good morning, Niles!" the mailman chimed, shaking the butler's hand.

"Morning Charlie, what have you brought for Mr. Sheffield today?"

"Actually this time I came to deliver something to you," Charlie retorted, taking a big envelope from his satchel, which Niles practically snatched from his hands. The butler's brows knitted in a confused frown, it had been ages since he had received a letter, from who could it be?

"I need you to sign here and I'll be gone." Charlie interrupted his scrutiny of the package, and handed him a pen. Niles scribbled his name before muttering a goodbye to the mailman and closing the door.

When he actually saw who had sent the letter, his heart skipped a beat – there, written in her neat calligraphy read:

 ** _To: Butler boy_**

 ** _From: The Ice Queen._**

Niles felt his knees weakening, and by now his heart was galloping against his chest. C.C. had sent him a letter?! After almost a month of silence she had taken the time to send _him_ a letter? It's a world gone mad! Not wanting to disclose the contents of the package where the prying eyes of his family could easily find him, he turned to the stairs and dashed to his room. He was beaming, not only she hadn't forgotten him, but she had also taken the time to send a special package just for him.

Once in his room he sat on the bed, and opened the envelope with trembling hands. Inside it there were what appeared to be pictures, a letter, and some type of candy. He grasped her note while he put on his reading glasses, his smile growing wider by the second.

 ** _Butler boy,_**

 ** _Long-time no see, huh? I've decided to send you and the family some pictures, and I've also added an 'Alfajor', which is a typical candy from Argentina (Yes, I am in Argentina, and no, I'm not specifying the city. This is as far as you are going to know for now). I hope you enjoy them._**

 ** _Love,_**

 ** _C.C._**

That brief note was enough to lighten his day, not to mention just how much he appreciated to know at least to what country she had travelled to. Although the letter was certainly more than welcomed, he couldn't help but to think about how strange it was for her to send a letter to him. It was as though she was trying to show some kind of change in her relationship with him, as though she wanted him to know she cared. Perhaps, to everyone else, receiving a letter was not a big deal, but for him it was… what were her motives? What had pushed her to do so? There were so many questions swimming in his mind, but there weren't any answers. Well, he'd have to settle with that for now, and perhaps, in the near future, she might call! And if she called, he was determined to make her know he missed her.

As he riffled through the pictures, he felt his heart soaring with happiness. She looked positively radiant! And by the sincere smile on her face he could tell she was having a good time. He stopped on one picture in particular, and slowly stroked it with his thumb – it showed a beaming C.C. sitting on a blanket, with what he recognised as an alfajor in her hand. Behind her he could see an extensive lake, which seemed to shine thanks to the reflection of the sun over its surface. The former producer had changed, too, her hair was longer, and her eyes had regained their characteristic fire. Something that also caught his attention was her attire: she was wearing stylish yet casual clothes, and the tight jeans she was wearing accentuated her long legs.

The next picture he observed carefully, showed C.C. sitting on a park bench with her head turned to what seemed to be street performers. She was clearly trying to stifle a laugh, he could tell it by the way she was biting his lower lip while one of the edges of her mouth was slightly curved upwards.

Another photo showed her in an elegant dress, standing in the middle of what seemed to be an opera house. He recognised that dress, it was the same one she had used the night he had escorted her to the guild awards.

By the time he had finished looking at the numerous photos, he felt a warmth spreading through his chest. Not everything was lost, it was just a matter of time.

Yes, time was all they needed.

* * *

 **AN: Well, here goes yet another chapter! Here's the link to the Galileo Galilei planetarium, in case you wanted to see the place I've described : en. wikiarquitectura index. php/ Galileo_Galilei_Planetarium.**

 **Thanks for reading, and I'd love some reviews!**


	7. Thinking Of You

_**AN: Hi there! I just wanted to warn you there is a little M rated part later in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it! As usual thank you for reading, and I appreciate reviews immenseley.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7**_

If there was one thing Maxwell Sheffield detested, were backers parties. He had loathed them when C.C. had been his partner, and he loathed them even more now that he was on his own; he just didn't know how to deal with these people, he lacked the cunning inventiveness which was almost an innate talent of C.C.. He had always been the 'creative' side of the company, whilst his partner had taken care of the financial area - for years C.C. had been in charge of luring the backers into investing in their shows, and she had always done it with finesse and intelligence, and now that he was alone, he felt somewhat lost.

Despite the host's worries, the party was going wonderfully, and Fran was working her charm on a bunch of older backers (who were ogling her not so subtly.), while Max tried to get some bucks from some of the company's most loyal contributors. So far they had obtained a decent amount of money, but it wasn't nearly enough to produce the play.

"So, Maxwell, where is your associate? I haven't seen her tonight!" Marianne Jackson, one of the very first backers who had funded his projects, asked.

The black haired producer shifted from foot to foot, visibly uncomfortable. "She... uh... well, she's not my associate anymore."

Marianne's eyebrows shot up in surprise, for very few people knew about C.C.'s departure, and she wasn't one of them. "Really? Did something happen between you two?"

"No, not really. She just decided to leave the country for a while and take a long and much needed vacation. Everything is fine between us, she just dropped out of the business," Maxwell tried to be as synthetic as possible, not wanting to disclose more information than it was necessary. He knew the type of vultures he was dealing with, and many members of New York's Elite would love to hear such a juicy gossip.

"What a pity, she was such a charming woman," the older woman lamented, and sipped a bit of champagne from her glass. "And such a good businesswoman too! I sincerely hope her absence doesn't affect your company."

Maxwell would have replied 'me too', but he knew better than that, so he just made an attempt to smile and excused himself with the woman. The producer soon mingled with the rest of the guests, and eavesdropped on their conversations. To his surprise, the main topic of conversation was C.C. - everyone was trying to come up with an answer to where she was now, but nobody seemed to know exactly what had happened to her.

The gossip only increased when a tall figure stepped inside the mansion, with a seemingly tranquil air. Maxwell was quite surprised to see Stewart Babcock there too, he had never come to a backers party before, but he quickly covered his surprise with a sincere smile (The first of the night, really).

"Stewart! What a surprise to see you here!" the producer exclaimed, shaking Stewart's hand.

"Ah, yes, I do know my presence must be surprising, but I thought it would be appropriate to come and check how things were going now that C.C. is taking a break," Stewart responded, while helping himself to a glass of champagne. It was funny, Maxwell thought, C.C. and her father were very much alike: their gestures, the way they smiled, the way they talked, and even the way they stood. She had always wanted to impress Stewart, to make him proud, and what she had failed to see was that she was more alike him than she ever thought.

"Thank you for coming, Stewart. Things are going great, we've raised a good amount of money, and Niles has outdone himself in the kitchen. Literally everybody has complimented his cooking."

The older man gave a good natured chuckle, he was well aware the party wasn't exactly a resounding success, but it was going ok considering his daughter was not there. He delved in his pocket, took two checks from it and handed both of them to Maxwell.

"What's this, Stewart?" Maxwell's face was scrunched in confusion, but his expression soon morphed into one of astonishment the moment he read the amount of money in both checks, as well as the names that figured on each of them. The first check alone was enough to fund the entire play, and it was from Stewart; the second one gave the company an even bigger amount of money and -to his surprise- it was from C.C..

"She wanted me to tell you that, as this was your first try without her, she's sending you some help. The check on my behalf, however, was my undoing, and I'll gladly back your projects from now on. You are a good friend Maxwell, and I appreciate how understanding you are being with my daughter," Stewart placed one of his hands over the producer's shoulder, in an almost paternal way. Maxwell knew the elder Babcock was worried, for his youngest child had always been one of his main concerns in life, and knowing C.C. had people who supported gave him peace of mind.

"There is no need to thank, Stewart. C.C. is one of my dearest friends, I'd have to be a terrible person not to offer her my support when she's at need," Maxwell retorted, and shared a knowing smile with Stewart. Both men wanted her to get better, and they were going to do whatever they could from their respective places in C.C.'s life to ensure her recovery.

A silence hanged between the two man for some uncomfortable seconds, and both men were looking for a common theme to talk about apart from C.C., a common thread of some sort… but nothing came to them. It was impressive how little they knew each other, yet they were two of the most important men in C.C.'s life. The moment Stewart opened his mouth to try and start up the conversation, his eyes suddenly drifted sideways, in the direction of a very busy butler.

"Ah, I had almost forgotten! I wanted to thank you for calling me daily to hear about C.C., it was really thoughtful of you," Stewart spoke with a smile, which quickly faded away when he saw the confused expression on his interlocutor's features.

"I am sorry for asking, but what are you talking about? I never called to your-"

"Not you, Maxwell! Your butler called on your behalf almost daily and asked for news from C.C.," as soon as Stewart had said those words, Maxwell's confused stare morphed into one of happiness, and he even allowed himself to chuckle softly. "What's so funny, son?" the older man inquired, clearly confused by the producer's reaction.

"Oh, it's nothing Stewart…" he said in a singsong voice, rocking his body back and forth on his heels, "I didn't order Niles to make those calls, I wanted to give C.C. some time to relax before calling her. It appears my stubborn friend blamed those calls on me to mask his interest for your daughter's well-being."

The elderly man's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. He remembered Niles from the last time he had visited the Sheffields, and his first thought when he had witnessed their bantering, was that both his daughter and the butler were trying to fight an undeniable attraction for each other. Over the years C.C. had ranted on many occasions about the damned butler and his inappropriate behaviour towards her, and Stewart had always thought she talked way too much about a man she supposedly hated… Well, now it all made sense! In recent conversations with his daughter, she had mentioned she was trying to understand what she felt for a special man, and now he was certain that man wasn't Maxwell. C.C. was never one to wear her heart on her sleeve, neither was Niles, but for the elder Babcock it was crystal clear the two cared deeply for each other, only it was hard for them to voice it due to their history… Perhaps they could use a little push, couldn't they?

"I see… How interesting, don't you think Maxwell?" said Stewart, flashing a knowing half smile at the producer.

"Quite interesting indeed. What do you say if we-"

"- try and give them a little push towards each other?" the older man completed.

"You took the words from my mouth!"

Both Maxwell and Stewart discretely looked in Niles' direction; the man in question was practically beaming, and his eyes were sparkling with a thinly veiled happiness. Both Sheffield and Babcock imagined his good moods surely were the result of something that had to do with C.C., for that shimmer in his orbs was only seen whenever the producer was around or mentioned. They wanted Niles and C.C. to be happy, and if they had to turn into two meddling yentas to achieve so, then so be it.

"Who would have said-" Stewart trailed off when he heard the loud ringtone of his cell phone. "I am sorry I have to answer this."

"No problem, Stewart. Feel free to talk in the kitchen, it's less noisy there."

Stewart nodded and lumbered across the living room, while taking the phone to his ear "Hello? Kitten? How are you, kiddo?"

Even if he was a few feet away, being the seasoned eavesdropper he was, Niles' heart practically skipped a beat when he listened to Stewart greeting his daughter. He observed the man walk through the kitchen door, and he debated himself if he should follow him… He really wanted to respect C.C.'s privacy, but his curiosity was killing him. When he was sure no one was looking at him and that both Maxwell and Fran were engaged in a conversation with two backers, he minced his way to the study. Once inside it, he closed the door, and activated the intercom, immediately hearing Stewart's voice booming from it.

"… That's nice dear! So you went to Olivos, I want you to send me some of the pictures you took," Niles heard the pause, and then how Stewart chuckled at something she said "I can imagine! So now you are going to a party? And are you going alone? … Very well, have fun then! Remember not to drink too-" and there was another pause, "Okay, okay, I was just giving you advice, I know you are not sixteen anymore! Well, I should really go back to the party, and I'm sure you have to go to yours, so have fun and we'll talk tomorrow," And yet another pause, "Love you too, Kitten. Goodbye."

As soon as Stewart ended the conversation, the butler turned the intercom off and returned to the living room, only now his mind was flooded with thoughts of her. She was going to a party? Niles couldn't help but to wish he could be there to escort her, and also he hoped she went by herself… He couldn't – no, wouldn't imagine her in the arms of another man. He forced himself to remember the time he had escorted her to the guild awards, for he knew that with those memories at hand, he would be able to carry on… for now, at least.

* * *

C.C. hanged the phone, while shaking her head. She absolutely adored that her father was trying to take care of her, but sometimes he was such a mother hen! The blonde stood from her bed and strode towards the full length mirror hanging from one of her bedroom's walls; she took a good look at herself, and smiled at her reflection – she looked positively radiant! The former producer was wearing a black floor-length silk dress, which had a Queen Anne neckline and an open back. The dress enhanced her curves and gave her an air of royalty. She had also gone to the hairdresser, and had her hair combed into a Gatsby Glam inspired hairstyle, which combined with her dress gave the impression she had just stepped out of movie from the 1920's. C.C. couldn't help but wonder what would Niles' reaction be if he saw her right now… The blonde knew she was sexy, and now that she had lost all the extra weight she had earned during the time before her admittance to the hospital, her hourglass shape was as killer as it had been in her teen years.

C.C. gave one last satisfied nod at her appearance, took her purse and coat, and finally breezed out of her room. She was feeling sexy, and she was determined to have a good time; it didn't take long for her to be stared at by slack-jawed men, both guests and staff from the hotel. Patrick was already waiting for her when she got to the lobby, and the moment he laid his eyes on her, they almost bulged out of their sockets, causing C.C. to smile inwardly.

"Hello, hello!" she chimed, waving a hand at him, "Sorry for the delay, I was finishing getting ready."

Patrick didn't answer immediately, for he was still stunned by her appearance, "Uh… It's… It's ok," he strutted, stroking his nape with one of his hands "Besides, the party has just started, we are still on time."

"Excellent! Then we have time to take a picture." If Niles couldn't see her at that moment, then she'd send him a picture. C.C. snickered at the thought of an unsuspecting Niles opening her letter and finding the photo… If he found her alluring, then this would be quite stunning for him. C.C. handed the camera to a still dazed Patrick, and posed for the picture, trying to put on her best 'come-hither' stare. Oh God, how she wished she could actually witness Niles reaction when he saw the picture. "Thank you, Patrick. Now, what do you say if we get going to the ballroom?" she asked, while putting her camera inside her purse.

"Sure thing, my lady," the Scottish man laced their arms together, and off they went.

The sight of the magnificent ballroom left C.C. breathless – well, its name was the Versailles Ballroom, after all. The room was decorated with a French classical style, counted with enormous crystal chandeliers -which lightened the room with a faint, yet pleasant light. The ballroom was already bursting with people, and there was a band playing tango in the back. She observed the salon was connected to the adjacent Vendome and Pompadour rooms -they had opened them so as to extend the capacity.

As soon as she stepped inside the ballroom, an infinity of eyes turned to her, and she had to stifle a laugh when she noticed Patrick's smug grin. Her escort walked her to their table and pulled her chair so she could sit.

"Oh my, aren't we gentlemanly?" she teased.

"I am always a gentleman. Besides it would be a sin to be less than a gentleman towards such a beautiful woman as you."

Oh well, she had to blush, she was always a sucker for sweet talking. "Uh… thank you Patrick. Aren't you sitting down?" The blonde asked when she noticed Patrick was still standing.

"I'll go get us some drinks, what would you like?"

C.C. thought about saying no, after all she had been sober ever since she went to The Place… But what was the worst that could happen if she only had one drink? "Hmm, surprise me! Bring me an Argentinean drink."

"Sure thing, Claire. I'll be right back," Patrick ambled away to the bar, leaving C.C. behind. The blonde was in an excellent mood, she had missed parties and nightlife, and finally allowing herself one night of fun was all she needed. The people around her were mostly Argentineans, and C.C. pricked up her ears in an attempt to understand their conversations; she had thought she knew Spanish, but Argentinean lunfardo had little to do with Spanish – Argentineans talked extremely quickly and with an infinity of slang terms, making it almost impossible for her to understand them. Patrick had been helping her, and had taught her a number of useful phrases as well as curiosities about lunfardo. For example, Argentineans constantly said the word "boludo", and C.C. had been intrigued by its meaning, so she had asked her friend about it. Patrick had just laughed and said it meant, depending on the context, either an insult or a way to call a pall in a friendly way. Lately she had been a getting better at understanding lunfardo, but most of the times it was Patrick who did the talking.

Ah… 'Speak of the devil, and the devil shall come' she thought to herself when she spotted her friend walking back to their table. He had two glasses full of an obscure liquid, and C.C. began to regret having asked for an Argentinean drink.

"Here you go," he exclaimed and handed her one glass "This is fernet with coke, one of the most popular drinks here."

"Alright, you better hope this is good or you'll regret it!" C.C. took the glass to her lips and gulped down the liquid. She had to fight the urge to spit it then and there, for the thing tasted like… like… black liquorice-flavoured Listerine mixed with coke. The drink was awfully bitter, and she observed in slight horror how her friend gulped down his own glass of Fernet as if it were the best drink in the world.

"So, how did it go?" he asked, a knowing smile playing across his lips.

"It's disgusting! I've had a lot of drinks in my life, but I had never drank anything this revolting!"

Patrick had to stifle a laugh, he had known she was going to react in the way she did – he had had pretty much the same reaction when his mother had made him try the liquor for the first time. "Relax, it's a matter of getting used to it. Once the initial disgust is gone, it's a delicious drink. Do me a favour and try again."

Hesitantly, C.C. tried again...and this time she didn't gag. She kept trying until she finished her glass, and only after she gulped the last of fernet she began to like the strange taste of it. She looked up at Patrick, and nodded her head lightly "You were right. Pity I ended my drink when I had just started to like it."

"Do you want me to get you another one?"

The blonde was faced with the decision once again: Remain sober, or give in… She hesitated, she had really missed alcohol, and one night of drinking wouldn't be so bad. But what if it ended badly? What if she did stupid things and – Oh, what the hell, one more drink wasn't going to kill her! "Yup, I'd love another one."

The first part of the party went by smoothly. They had a delicious Argentinean meal, which included Locro, empanadas and the finest steak she had ever tasted as entrée and main course, followed by a wide selection of Argentinean desserts. By the end of their dinner, both Patrick and C.C. had ingested two more glasses of fernet and one of wine; as a consequence C.C. was feeling a little tipsy, but she was in such a good mood she barely noticed it.

When the music started, she had practically pulled Patrick out of his chair and into the dance floor, and her friend seemed to like the idea too. They lost track of time, they were too immersed in their dancing and on getting occasional drinks at the bar to pay attention to the time.

"Oh my God!" C.C. shrieked, tugging at Patrick's arm, who was about to order two more fernets "They are playing tango! Let's go dance, Patrick," without awaiting for his answer, she snatched his arm and stumbled to the dance floor once again, arriving just on time to hear the first notes of Astor Piazzola's "Adios Nonino".

Both C.C. and Patrick were experienced tango dancers, and even in their drunken stupor they were skilled enough to dance flawlessly. The Scottish man had his left arm wrapped around her back, while C.C. had her right one over his left shoulder and had entwined her left hand with Patrick's right one. Their bodies were impossibly close, and as they swayed back and forth at the rhythm of the music, the friction caused by this closeness began to affect them.

Their dancing became more daring and aggressive as the tango progressed, and they barely noticed when the rest of the guests moved away in order to observe them dance. C.C.'s drunk mind was lost in his blue eyes, and she had begun to forget exactly where and who she was with. The former producer could only think about those eyes… the way they looked at her whenever she threw a particularly good zinger at- Wait, she was with Patrick, wasn't she? What was going on with her? She lost her frail trail of thought once again when her dance partner began to swivel her around before bringing her close to him once again and resting their foreheads together.

The longer they danced, the more lost she felt. She could almost smell the familiar scent of lemon pledge in the air, and her eyes were stuck to the other pair of cerulean orbs as if they were magnetic. When the last part of the song began to play, Patrick began to spin her around, while she gracefully moved in between his arms. They ended their dance with a fantastic dip, and the moment he helped her up, their eyes locked once again…

And their lips connected in a mind blowing kiss.

Kissing him felt so right, yet so wrong at the same time- it was like a little voice inside her now drunk mind was screaming at her that she was about to screw everything up. She mentally silenced that voice, and pushed it to the back of her mind. The moment they parted heard a deafening applause around them, and even some whistles; C.C. blushed a deep crimson tone, and Patrick walked her out of the ballroom, and into the nearest elevator.

An uncomfortable silence seemed to swell between them, and the closer they got to her floor, the more unbearable it became. Thankfully, they heard a loud ting and then the doors opened.

"Well… that was fun," C.C. blurted, still not getting off the elevator.

"Yeah… fun… pity it has to end. Right?"

It was then when her intoxicated mind began to grasp what he had just asked. It was up to her to follow with his suggestion, or she could just walk into the hallway and forget about it. C.C. was debating herself, but the moment she looked up and found those damned blue eyes staring at her, she lost all reasonable thought, and crashed her mouth to his, sealing their destiny.

The elevator went up a few more floors, but by the time the doors opened, the couple was already in a heated exchange of kisses. None of them knew exactly how they got to his room, but once the door was opened, there was no going back. Patrick, however -in one last attempt to be a gentleman before losing control- pulled away from her and asked "Are you sure you want this?"

Part of C.C. knew she had to stop, that this wasn't the man she really wanted, that he was just a copy… But she was far too drunk, lonely and horny to say no.

"Yes, please, just fuck me already," she hissed, pushing him inside the room.

Patrick slammed the door behind them, lifted her in his arms, threw her onto the big bed and climbed on top of her. His hands roamed her body until he reached the zipper on the back of her dress, pulled it down, and peeled part of her dress off, leaving her chest exposed to him.

The man took a moment to appreciate her naked breasts, and proceeded to suck on her left nipple. C.C. whimpered beneath him, and tangled her fingers with in his hazel locks, in an attempt to bring him impossibly closer. She didn't know how long his assault on her breasts lasted, but she felt like she was in heaven. The moment his tongue touched her folds, however, C.C. lost all type of control and gave in to pleasure. The blonde woman could only moan, her mind couldn't put a coherent thought together, much less a sentence - it could only focus on those blue eyes... how she had missed those eyes...

"Yes... yes... Keep going," she cried out when she felt his digits inside her. The blonde felt her herself nearing her climax with each stroke of his tongue and movement of his fingers inside her, and -while giving a loud scream- he pushed her over the edge for the first time.

Patrick lost no time and, after she had recovered, he took off his boxers and buried himself deep inside her. Both adults groaned in pleasure before he began to thrust in long, languid strokes. He certainly knew how to work a woman, and she was more than happy to allow him take her to the abyss with him. The pace fastened with each thrust he gave, and C.C. soon had her legs wrapped around his middle.

Either because it had been ages since the last time she had been taken by a man, or because he was a skilled lover, her walls began to spasm frantically in record time. He was close too, and the only thing she wanted was him to take her to the edge. The room was silent except for their cries, and the sound of skin slamming together.

"Look at me," Patrick pleaded in a strained voice, and the moment C.C. did as she was told, she didn't see the face of a one night fling over her -no, for a moment it felt as though the man who was currently hovering over her wasn't Patrick, but Niles. She got lost in his darkened cerulean orbs, and as she neared her climax, she could only think of the butler. And then she felt it. A powerful orgasm ripping her body apart. She clawed her nails into his back, and tried moaning his name loudly...

"Oh ... God... **NILES**!" the blonde screamed, thrashing her body beneath Patrick's.

She registered what she had said a second after the word left her mouth. Even in her drunken state, C.C. was able to understand the gravity of what she had just screamed, and she felt bad for the man on top of her -although her partner didn't seem to care about the name that had escaped her lips.

He came soon after, and then proceeded to collapse on top of her, tired and spent. She could hear his heart hammering against his chest, and the faint sound of his ragged breathing. As he came down from his own climax and the adrenaline wore off, Patrick felt his eyelids growing heavy -and thanks to his still clouded mind and tired body- he quickly drifted to sleep. C.C. wanted to leave, but she was far too tired and confused to do so. She'd think in the morning, she decided - for now she was going to relish on the much needed comfort provided by the closeness to another human being.


	8. Two Pink Lines

**_Chapter 8_**

 ** _Panic._**

Panic was the only thing C.C. could feel at the moment. She was sitting on her hotel bed, staring at the little thing between her hands in bewilderment. Of course she knew how she had gotten herself into that situation, but still, it was the shock of her life.

It had been a month and a half since she had last seen Patrick. She remembered she had woken up a few hours later, with a killer hangover, and feeling disoriented. She had looked around and when her eyes had found the sleeping man by her side, images of what had happened had rushed back to her mind. The blonde hadn't known what to think, her mind had been a mess and her emotional state as frail as a flake of snow – so she had done what seemed natural: C.C. had slipped out of bed, put one of the hotel robes on, gathered her clothes and fled back to her own room.

After the embarrassment of screaming another man's name during sex, she had decided to avoid Patrick, and she had spent the following days after their disastrous "date" locked in her room. The blonde had only allowed herself to step a foot outside her suite when she knew for sure he had gone back to Britain. Her little Freudian slip had been a bombshell, and it had changed the whole panorama; she had definitely misjudged her feelings for the butler, and she needed to settle the issue in order to have some peace of mind.

She had spent the time she had secluded herself thinking about the incident. She had been drunk, that was for sure, and it had been her doom... Her disinhibited mind had given in to her urges, and one of them was having sex. But it hadn't been just sex for her; in some twisted way her confused mind had fantasised her partner wasn't Patrick, but Niles. Those deep eyes hadn't belonged to the Scottish man in her fantasy, they had belonged to the butler.

This had caused a cataclysm inside her. What was going on with her?! She was constantly thinking about Niles, missing Niles, and now she couldn't even have sex without him appearing in her mind?!

The more she pondered over the effect he had on her, the more she understood her feelings for the butler.

 ** _Damn..._**

 ** _She was royally screwed._**

It was only after a week of intense thinking that she had allowed herself to admit that, perhaps, she was in love with Niles. Her admission had shaken her to the core, but it had also opened her eyes. The irony of the whole thing was almost comical: she had fallen for the man she had claimed to despise, while she couldn't even imagine herself marrying the man she had pinned after for years.

Now a lot of her reactions towards the butler made sense and, to her surprise, finally admitting she loved him had warmed her heart. She was still scared of course, because she wasn't sure if her feelings were reciprocated. The blonde was aware both of them had feelings for the other, but she wasn't sure about the nature of his feelings for her. Perhaps she was just an infatuation, perhaps he just thought she was attractive... But something inside her told the former producer she wasn't just an infatuation for him. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but perhaps it wasn't... The only way to discover this was going back to New York, but she couldn't bring herself to do so, not yet.

Her time in Argentina had helped her heal, but she wasn't ready to go back home just yet, not when she was having such a good time. But something had to be done with her newly found love for the butler, so she had tried calling to the Sheffield's mansion on several occasions, just to hear his voice. All her attempts had been fruitless, for she always slammed the phone down before anyone could pick it up. Part of C.C. was terrified of talking to Niles, yet another part of her was carving to hear his voice. She had taken to sending weekly letters to him, and she had always included photos, candy or even some gifts (Two of them were a beautiful tie and gold cufflinks she had bought in 'Etiqueta Negra', an Argentinean store.). She was constantly asking about him whenever she spoke with her father, who seemed more than happy to fill her in with the latest news from the Sheffield household. He had told her he had been invited to Max and Fran's wedding (which had taken place the night before), and that her friends would have liked her to go.

Anyway… C.C. was feeling extremely good with herself, and for the first time in years she understood what she wanted. She had taken her time to analyse her behaviour around Niles for the past years, as well as analysing his – In retrospective their chemistry seemed obvious, and she wondered how had she been so blind to ignore it for over ten years... This weird 'friendship' they had, had morphed into something deeper after their kiss -it was as though the kiss had caused them to begin circling each other, and they had gotten closer little by little. She had also pinpointed the event that had deepened the rift between them. After his cruel prank when he woke up at the hospital, they became increasingly remote from each other, and due to this, all the positive feelings turned into anger and resentment; as they couldn't show what they felt - something made them want to tear their hair out- they had channelled their frustration in vicious attacks and pranks.

What fools had they been… C.C. knew they needed to sit down and talk, but after her recent discovery they'd probably wouldn't be doing it… At least not for a long time. It all had started a few days ago, when she had woken up with an overwhelming urge to vomit; she had thought perhaps something she had eaten the night before had upset her stomach, so she had decided to take care of herself and see how everything went. Later that day she had gone out to a nearby bookshop called 'El Ateneo Grand Splendid'; it wasn't the first time she had visited it, but the place was so tranquil and magnificent she had spent a lot of lazy afternoons there. El Ateneo was an opulent bookstore located in an old amphitheatre, which contained a beautiful central dome decorated with original Romantic-style frescos. The theatre boxes were intact and fitted with comfy chairs where visitors could lounge and peruse book selections for as long as they wanted. The stage remained encased by thick burgundy curtains, and it served as a pleasant café, where a live pianist performed in the afternoon. As a matter of fact, one afternoon she had asked the staff if she could play, and after receiving an affirmative response, the blonde had spent hours entertaining herself by playing the instrument.

She had thought about Niles on many occasions during the many afternoons she had spent at 'El Ateneo', and the pleasant atmosphere had given her the chance to reflect over her newly found love for the butler. She had always reached to the conclusion that she needed to go back and have a talk with him, but was she brave enough to take the first step? How was she going to tear down the invisible wall they had built between each other? Did he want her to do so? They had fifteen years of habit over their shoulders, and it wouldn't be easy for either of them to get rid of their burden.

In some way she was afraid of the possibility of him rejecting her… But wasn't she C.C. Babcock? The Bitch of Broadway? The woman who could reduce grown men to a crying mess? She had always fought her battles while keeping a stiff upper lip, and fear had never stopped her from doing anything, why this time should be any different? She knew what she had to do…

 _ **But, things don't always work the way we want.**_

The nausea had persisted for a few days, and eventually she had called for a doctor, thinking that perhaps she had caught a stomach bug. She was seen by a middle aged doctor, called Corina – the woman had come to her hotel room and checked her vitals, and she had found nothing wrong with her.

 _"I'm sorry, Miss Babcock, but nothing appears to be wrong with you," Corina announced, putting her stethoscope away, "My only guess is that either you have a stomach bug or…" the woman trailed off, and casted a wary look at C.C._

 _"Or what, doctor?" the blonde insisted, feeling how her body tensed._

 _Corina took a deep breath, delved into her suitcase and retrieved a small box. "Miss Babcock, you said the nausea usually comes in the morning, and that you've been feeling unusually fatigued… Tell me, have you gotten your period?"_

 _Under her calmed façade C.C. was panicking. Was she suggesting what she thought she was suggesting? But it couldn't… Or could it be? She tried to remember when her period was supposed to come, and to her dismay she realised she should have gotten it almost two weeks ago… "N-no, I haven't," was the only thing she managed to choke out._

 _"Then I strongly suggest you take this," the doctor handed her the little box she had been holding, and when C.C. saw 'Evatest' written on it, she felt a strong urge to cry. "The symptoms you've described are consistent with the ones a woman experiences at the beginning of her pregnancy."_

The blonde remembered she had been terrified by the doctor's words, and she had delayed taking the test for another week, in hopes her period would make its appearance; but it didn't, so she had finally taken the test that morning. The five minutes she had to wait felt eternal, but she finally had the answer…

And it was not what she had expected…

 ** _For it read 'positive'._**

* * *

 ** _AN: BEAR WITH ME! This has a reason of being, and you'll see it in upcoming chapters (And yes, Patrick is out of the scene for good.). I'll try to upload some more chapters today, I have about 4 more ready, I'll try my best :P Anyway, sorry for the delay and thanks for reading!_**

 ** _I'd appreciate some reviews :)_**


	9. I Miss You

**_Chapter 9_**

Ever since she was a girl, C.C. had wanted to be a mother. She remembered she'd spend hours playing with her dolls, pretending they were her kids; the blonde had always wanted to form her little family, and even if she knew she'd probably hand her babies to the nannies while she spent time with her husband (just like her parents had done with her), having children was definitely in her plans.

As years went by, her view of motherhood had changed. She wasn't good with children, and she was definitely not the motherly type of woman, like Nanny Fine… It was as though children feared her, and as her experiences with the Sheffield three hadn't been exactly good, she had begun to ask herself if she would be a good mother. The former producer had thought that, when the time came, she'd probably discuss the issue with her husband, and then she'd probably send them away to boarding school.

But it seemed things in life weren't going the way she wanted… Not even in her wildest dreams she'd have ever imagined she'd end up pregnant after a one night stand. What was she going to do now? She had no way of contacting Patrick, hell, she didn't even know his last name! Was she going to keep it? What would her family say? What would her social peers say? What would Niles say?

C.C. felt the tears slowly blurring her vision, and how they silently cascaded down her cheeks; she couldn't move or even speak, for the shock was too great. She was scared, that was certain, what did she know about being a mother? She couldn't even remember the names of the Sheffield kids and now she was pregnant? It all seemed like some twisted joke from fate... Now that she had healed, and that she was ready to start again, she was going to have a kid?!

The thought of abortion briefly crossed her mind, but she discarded it almost immediately… She couldn't bring herself to do it, because no matter how the little thing had ended there, it was still her child. Adoption was out of the question too, for she knew that once she had her baby she wouldn't want to get rid of it. She was trapped, and as the weight of reality crushed down onto her, she began to sob.

She was ruined, she'd probably be ridiculed by the whole New York society, and by her friends and- Wait... Why on Earth was she thinking about what would New York's high society say? Hadn't she realised in these past months that those people weren't worth the trouble? She was not thinking in the right direction, the blonde told herself, she needed to think how **_SHE_** felt about this, not how **_OTHERS_** would feel about it. C.C. had always tried to be all things to all people, so thinking about what she wanted to do instead of what she was supposed to do, was proving to be a challenge.

The blonde slowly lied down, still holding the pregnancy test in between her hands. She needed to think clearly, so she took calming breaths and little by little her sobs quieted until they stopped. She still felt like shit, but at least now her mind wasn't clouded by her crying. So she was pregnant, she was alone, which meant she'd be a single mother if she chose to keep the child… Was she ready for that? Again, she didn't understand children, and while not knowing the names of Maxwell's kids wasn't important to her, her lack of maternal instincts scared her to the core now that she was having her own baby. Besides, was it really worth it? She had never had a maternal figure in her life, hence her lack of tact with kids, and her mother had always said kids only ruin your body and your marriage…

But she wasn't married, that was both an advantage and a disadvantage. The obvious cons of not being married was the fact she'd be ostracized by New York's Elite, and her chances of finding a husband would decrease to almost null… But if she was being honest, her chances were already null: she had gone to rehab, she was a 37 year old woman, and she had a reputation of being cruel and ornery. If she put things in perspective this could very well be her only chance of being a mother, and even if the idea of motherhood terrified her, part of her craved for a child of her own. Another con was that a child would obviously change her plans with Niles, for she wasn't ready to face him if she was going to have another man's child. What would he think of her? Would he call her a whore? A trollop? Would he be angry? Would he mock her? It was quite ironic, it had taken her almost twenty years to understand she loved the man, and now that she was willing to try for a relationship with him, this pregnancy had annihilated her plans.

C.C. pressed her hands against her puffy eyes, while releasing a pained sigh. It seemed she was doomed to be alone for the rest of her life, she'd be by herself until her- Stop, she said to herself, stop pitying yourself and act! The blonde forced herself to look for positive thoughts, as Bort had said she should do whenever she was feeling particularly down or anguished. She wasn't alone, she had her father, her brother, the Sheffields, probably Niles and… and now she had her baby.

Now C.C. began to look at her predicament with new eyes – yes, she was pregnant, so why not make the best of it? Her mother had never cared about her, and subconsciously she had planned to treat her children with the same detachment, but perhaps she could change… Perhaps she could give her baby the childhood she never had and always wanted. C.C. gingerly took one of her hands to her still flat stomach, and rubbed it softly. There was a life in there, a life that **_she_** had helped to create, a life that depended on her now. She didn't know exactly why, but a sudden feeling of awe invaded her heart; she was going to be a mother, and she was determined to be a damn good one.

Yes, she was alone, yes she was going to be a single mother, and so what? She was a millionaire, and she was determined to give her baby a good life, both materially and emotionally speaking. She had never allowed fear to consume her, and the only time she had done so she had risen again, stronger than ever before; she was sober, she didn't take pills anymore, she was learning to open up… Perhaps this was meant to be, perhaps this baby was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

Who cares if her socialite 'friends' laughed at her? Who cares if she was ostracized? She had tried to fit in that group of people for years and it had made her feel utterly miserable! Now she was staring her very own family, and from now on it was going to be her and her child against the world. But even if she didn't care about what other people said about her, C.C. couldn't help but to wonder what would Niles think of her pregnancy. She was not ready to tell him about this, and probably wouldn't be for a long time, but she didn't discard the possibility of looking for him once she went back to NYC.

One thing that was sure, was that she had to go back soon, so she hopped from the bed and scrambled to the phone – she may not have a husband to support her, but she had a father. The tone sounded for some seconds before the warm, gentle voice of Stewart Babcock rang at the other end of the line.

"Hey daddy, it's C.C.," the blonde producer's tone was almost sheepish and this was not lost on Stewart.

"Hello Kitten, what's wrong?" he deadpanned. The older Babcock could almost see the distraught expression on his youngest daughter's face, and even if he hadn't been the most involved parent, he knew that tone of voice meant trouble.

C.C. released a long, shuddering breath, there was no point in delaying telling the truth to him, for he already knew something was off "I'm pregnant," the blonde woman was surprised by how easily those words had dripped from her mouth, and she was also astonished by the relief she felt by telling another soul about her pregnancy.

There were several seconds -maybe a minute or so- of stony silence before Stewart Babcock spoke. Had he heard correctly? Had she said she was pregnant? But… but how? And who was the father? The elderly man had so many questions swirling inside his brain that he didn't know which one to ask first.

"Dad? Are you there?" C.C.'s worried voice called from the other side of the line, bringing him out of his troubled thoughts.

"Y-Yes Kitten, I'm here. Did you just say you are pregnant?" he tried to sound nonchalant, for he knew she was probably as nervous as he was. He heard yet another pained sigh coming from his daughter, and how she cleared her throat.

"Yes, daddy, I am pregnant."

The magnitude of her words knocked Stewart's socks off, and he thanked God he was seated, for he knew his legs wouldn't have been able to hold his weight. "H-how? And who's the father?"

Well, here came the hard part… She couldn't chicken out now! "Remember that party? The one I went with my friend Patrick? Well… I had one too many and so did he, which led to us sleeping together. He's gone now, and I just discovered I'm carrying his child," Her words were tinged with disappointment and embarrassment, her father had told her to take care of herself, and she had messed things up as though she were a freaking teenager! The silence at the other end of the line was unsettling her, and she only wanted someone to hug her and tell her that everything was going to be alright.

"Ok Kitten, I won't say again what you've probably already said to yourself, so just for you to know I support whatever you decide on doing – And this leads me to my next question: do you plan to keep it?"

The tranquillity and lack of reproach in his tone surprised C.C., and had her father been looking at her he would have seen a content smile creeping to her lips. "Yes, I'm keeping it. That's why I was calling you, actually."

"Oh? Well, then I am happy for you dear, and I promise I'll try to be the best grandfather I can be," Stewart knew he hadn't been the best father, but now that she had decided to face motherhood, he wouldn't allow her to do it on her own. He'd support her, through thick and thin.

His words warmed C.C.'s heart, and it meant the world for her to know her father supported her. She wouldn't be alone in this situation, and she could hide under his protective wing until she was ready to face the world again. "Thank you daddy. I know it's a lot to ask, but could you sell my penthouse? Now that I'm having a baby I don't want to live in an apartment anymore. The second thing I need, is to know if you still own the mansion nearby the Sheffield's, because –if it's ok to you- I'd like to move there."

"Sure thing honey! And yes, I still own the mansion. I have received a few offers for it, but none have convinced me, so I'll gladly gift it to you! I take you are planning on coming back?" His tone was hopeful, because even if they had been estranged for years, Stewart Babcock missed his daughter. His Kitten had always been his favourite child, for she was extremely similar to him; both of them had a no-nonsense attitude, were both an excellent businessman and woman and they had always seemed to connect in a special way. He still reproached himself for having put work over family, but now he had a chance to make up for the lost time.

"Yes, I'll go back when I enter my second trimester, I want to stay in Argentina a little bit longer. Dad, please don't tell the Sheffields about this, I… I am not ready to face them or Ni-"

"Or Niles?" her father completed.

"You know, don't you?" it was more of a statement than a question, really. There was no point in hiding her feelings from her father, he had proved to be a wonderful confidant.

"Yes Kitten, I do. But there is something I needed to tell you… I was going to call you this afternoon," his voice had brusquely turned grave, as though something terrible had happened. C.C. felt her stomach clenching, and one of her legs began to twitch in apprehension.

"What happened dad? Are the Sheffields ok? Is Niles ok?" she asked in a strained voice.

"Not entirely… Honey, Max and Fran never got to their honeymoon, the ship arrived empty. The coast guard thinks they fell overboard. The kids are currently with Niles and Sylvia."

C.C. felt the room spinning around her, and tears leaked from her eyes. For all she knew her friends could be dead, and she hadn't even said a proper goodbye the last time she had seen them. Why was all of this happening now? Why to them? Why her? The blonde had her hand curled in a tight fist, and her nails were digging painfully into her palm, but she didn't care. "A-and has the coast guard said anything about them? Do they have a clue of where they might be now?"

"Not really, and I think they are not really looking for them… Many people think they've drowned."

"What?! They are not even trying?! Oh, they will listen to me! Daddy, give me the number of that friend of yours in the coast guard. I am C.C. Babcock, and I'll be damned if I stay sitting down while my friends are in need!" the woman was practically yelling, and she had jumped from her bed and was now pacing the room. Had Niles seen her now, he'd have said she had the same murderous glare than when she was about to destroy an incompetent actor or choreographer.

After Stewart had given her the number, the blonde woman said her goodbyes to her father and ended the call. She quickly began dialling the number she had written down in a small piece of paper, but at the last second she ended the call, dialled a different number and waited.

"Hello, Sheffield residence," a familiar baritone voice answered.

* * *

It had been a month and a half since the backers party, and Niles' life had turned practically upside down. After overhearing the conversation between C.C. and her father, thoughts of the blonde woman had plagued his mind. This also probably had to do with the fact she had started to mail him weekly, and in her long letters she described her adventures in great detail. He loved hearing –or well, reading- about what she had been doing, and he had the feeling she was progressively happier every time she wrote to him.

One of his favourite letters (and for a lot of motives) was the one that had arrived roughly a week after the party. He had been dusting the living room when the bell had rung…

 _Niles' eyes travelled to the door when the piercing sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, and he immediately became giddy with excitement. He saw the outline of the mailman standing behind the door, and in one of his hands he was carrying a familiar brown package._

 _"_ _Hello, Charlie! Have you got anything for Mr Sheffield?" the butler asked. He knew there was something for him too, but being the dutiful Butler Boy he was, he chose to ask if there was something for his employer first._

 _"_ _Hey Niles!" Charlie piped, and enthusiastically shook the Englishman's hand. "For Mr Sheffield I've got some letters, and there is a package for you, too."_

 _Niles couldn't hide his satisfied smile when he spotted her neat calligraphy scribbled on the front of the package, and not wanting to delay getting his letter any longer, he signed and said farewell to the mailman. Once again Niles dashed to his room, sat on his bed and excitedly opened the package. This time he found a letter, two books, some alfajores and little envelope which he presumed contained photographs. He chose took the letter in his hands, and while he tore the wrapper of one alfajor, he began to read._

 ** _Hazel,_**

 ** _Hello, hello! So, I've been told by my father that you are all doing just fine, and that miraculously Maxwell & Nanny Fine didn't ruin the backers party! I must admit it, I am impressed… He's also told me you made an excellent job with the food, I guess some things never change._**

 ** _And speaking of unchanging things, I've been having a blast by terrorizing the local community, and I suppose you are still the #1 toilet scrubber of NYC! Now speaking seriously, I've been really having a grand time in Buenos Aires (Yes, now you know the city… Crack the champagne, Mrs Doubtfire) and thoroughly enjoying a snow-free winter here. If you only knew how many soap operas I've been watching! I swear, these guys have the best soap operas ever._**

 ** _Anyway, this time I've sent you two books I found in one of the most beautiful libraries I've ever seen. They are from an Argentinean author called Jorge Luis Borges, and I suspect you'll like them. I've also included alfajores (I know you loved them, dad told me you didn't share any of the ones I sent you the last time! ) and some pictures._**

 ** _Until next time!_**

 ** _Miss You._**

 ** _C.C._**

 _Niles practically choked on his alfajor when he read that C.C. missed him. Her words had taken him by surprise, for never in almost fifteen years of knowing C.C. Babcock, had she said she missed him. By writing those words she was acknowledging she was fond of him, and what had also caught his attention was that she hadn't written that she missed NYC or the Sheffields, she only missed him… In a way it made him feel special, and gave him hope for the future. Perhaps, when she came back, they'd be able to start again._

 _He lowered the letter and then proceeded to inspect the pictures she had sent, and once again he lost his breath. The moment he laid his eyes on the first picture, he felt his jaw could actually hit the floor… There she was, clad in possibly the sexiest dress she had ever worn, standing in front of what appeared to be a ballroom._

 _"_ _Bloody hell…" he said in a breathless gasp. He noticed she had written something on the back of the picture, and he scoffed when he read what it said._

 ** _9 de Julio party. Hope you like my attire! :)_**

 _"_ _You minx!" Niles couldn't contain his laughter, for he knew she had done this on purpose. Oh well, she could do it all the times she wanted._

Her letters were the highlight of his weeks, and even if he hadn't been able to answer them, he felt she was a little closer to him. Although he was happy for her, he couldn't wait for C.C. to return – letters weren't enough, what he needed was his baby by his side.

The butler had kept himself busy by helping on the preparations for the wedding. Both the party and the ceremony had been wonderful, and Miss Fine –Now turned Mrs Sheffield- had never looked so radiant. The only moment when his sadness had been able to overtake him, was when he had observed Fran marching down the aisle. For a second he had imagined how it would be like if C.C. were the bride and he the groom. He had daydreamed about seeing his blonde hellion dressed all in white, walking steadily to him… He had been aware he shouldn't have thought about that, it was his best friend's wedding for crying out loud! But he was only human, and he missed her.

But it seemed disaster had a way of creeping into the Sheffields lives when they least expected it, and when he had gotten the call from the coast guard, his world had crumbled down. Now not only the woman he loved had gone away, but he might have also lost his best friends… Why was this happening now? Why was this happening to them?

Niles had spent the day trying to comfort the children, and even if he had kept a calm façade, he was just as nervous as them, for the coast guard wasn't doing enough and there was no trace of their friends.

"Niles, do you think they'll find them?" Gracie asked him while she helped herself to another cookie.

"Of course they will, Miss Grace, you just need to have faith," Niles retorted, taking a seat next to the youngest Sheffield. Grace had come to him like a scared puppy when the news had gotten to the house, and she had kept him company while he cooked an outrageous amount of food in order to keep Sylvia calm. He didn't rest for long however, for the phone rang once again. "I have to get this, Miss Grace, I'll be back in a minute," Niles lumbered across the kitchen and quickly answered the phone.

"Hello, Sheffield residence."

"Hello Niles, its C.C."

The moment her voice sounded from the other end of the line, Niles heart began to race. He hadn't been expecting this, not in a million years. "Hello Miss Babcock," He tried to sound nonchalant, but she noticed the tremble in his voice.

There was a small pause where both individuals don't really know what to say, and just when Niles was about to try and keep the conversation going, she spoke once again "I know about the Sheffields…"

"Oh..." Was the only thing Niles was able to say.

"I am calling to let you know I am doing some calls to get the coast guard more involved, my father told me they aren't doing a good job."

Niles glanced at the little girl at the table and neared the phone to his mouth. "They've lost hope, I think," he spoke in a whisper.

"Well I haven't! And I want you to tell everybody I am trying to help from where I am."

He couldn't help but smile at how passionate her voice sounded, and he was sure her eyes were probably shinning. "I haven't either," he said in a gentle tone, his voice almost feeling like a caress to the soul.

The former producer had the feeling he wasn't just talking about finding the Sheffields, but also about something concerning to them… "Yeah… I- I guess it's just a matter of time."

"It's always about time, isn't it?"

"Sometimes good things require it," her voice was barely audible, and she felt the same uneasy sensation she had had the last time he had seen her. Why couldn't they say what they wanted? Perhaps if she only… No. It wasn't the time, not when Fran and Max were lost. "Um, well, I guess I should call the coast guard."

Niles didn't want to end the conversation just then, not after not hearing her for over three months! "Miss Babcock…I…" Niles rubbed his temple while trying to control his breathing "H-how are you? How are things going in Argentina?"

The question took C.C. by surprise, especially coming from him. He really wanted to keep the conversation going? She could detect the nervousness in his voice, however. She knew him far too well... Probably he was clutching the phone to his ear, his free hand curled in a tight fist, and his leg was probably twitching in apprehension "I am fine, thanks for askin," she replied, aware that her answer wouldn't satisfy him.

"Are you planning on returning any time soon?" the butler regretted asking the question the moment he did it, but part of him was desperate to know…

C.C. hesitated to answer, should she tell him the truth? Just when he was about to speak, her breathing became increasingly hitched as a new bout of morning sickness hit her full force. Feeling the little food she had eaten quickly going up her throat, she dropped the phone for a second and vomited inside the trash bin next to her bed.

"Morning sickness be damned," she cursed under her breath, picking up the phone. "Sorry about that, I've been feeling under the weather lately, but thankfully I am fine. And no, I don't plan on returning any time soon."

Now it was Niles who was out of words. Had she said m-morning sickness?!

"Niles, are you there?" her voice sounded from the other sound of the line, successfully bringing his attention back to their conversation.

"Yes, sorry. Miss Babcock, are you ill?" he asked, nervously drumming his fingers on the kitchen counter.

"Yes Niles, but don't worry, it's just a stomach bug. I'll be fine in a few days," she lied. Telling him about her pregnancy was absolutely out of the question for now. "As a matter of fact, I should probably go Niles, I have an appointment with a doctor in half an hour and I should get dressed. Goodbye," the producer hanged the phone roughly, not daring to hold a conversation with him when her morning sickness could strike again in any moment.

"Wait! Miss Babcock, I…" he trailed off when he realised he was talking to the dead line. Niles lowered the phone and sighed. "… I miss you."


	10. Coming Home

**_Chapter 10_**

"I should have taken the family jet," a moody and pregnant C.C. Babcock grumbled as she pushed the trolley that carried her luggage around the airport. She had arrived to New York after a long flight from Buenos Aires, and she was craving to get home so she could finally relax. The blonde had reached her fourth month of her pregnancy, and now had a noticeable baby bump. It still amazed her just how well her pregnancy was going, and during the last months she had spent in Argentina she had indulged in every craving she had had.

But she had finally returned, and even if she had enjoyed her stay in Buenos Aires, she was finally ready to go back home. The producer had spent the flight wondering how her life in New York City would be like now that she was pregnant. She had a lot of shopping to do, and she still needed to work on the nursery. Her father had taken care of moving all her furniture to her new mansion, while her penthouse had been sold to a nice couple only a week before C.C.'s arrival to the city. It was thrilling really, after being away for so long...

C.C. glanced at her clock and groaned, it was 6:00 am, and she hadn't been able to sleep one bit during the flight. She needed a nap, and all the suitcases she was carrying, plus the extra weight of the baby were tiring her body beyond measure. She stopped pushing the trolley for a second, and rested her back against a wall. Good Lord, now that she was pregnant she was in constant need of cat naps.

"Ma'am do you need assistance?" a young woman asked her. C.C. supposed her tiredness was written all over her face, and even if she usually didn't accept help from strangers, she was too drained to say no.

"That would be lovely, thank you," the blonde replied in a hoarse voice.

"There is no need to thank!" The young girl said cheerfully, and began pushing her trolley to the exit. C.C. followed her closely, happy to be able to straighten her back.

It didn't take long for her to spot her father, who was peering over the crowd in an attempt to find her. The moment he saw her, however, the older man beamed and practically ran to her.

"Kitten! My God, look at you!" Stewart's voice was thick with emotion, and he could only hug his child. Even though he had gotten used to the idea she was pregnant, seeing her baby bump for the first time had triggered a flood of tears. He was immensely proud of her, and seeing her so happy and glowing with impending motherhood was too much for him to take.

"Hello daddy, I missed you!"

They didn't know for how long they hugged, but they didn't care. Each of them was trying to pour in that hug all the emotions they couldn't verbalize, and after being on her own for five months, C.C. really appreciated the contact. When they pulled away, each of them had tears in their eyes, but a smile was gracing their features.

"Kitten, what do you say if we get to the limo? You surely must be tired," Stewart suggested.

"That would be wonderful! I can't wait to sit down, this little peanut inside me practically drains my energies."

Both father and daughter walked contentedly to the awaiting limousine while making small talk. Stewart couldn't stop gazing at his daughter in adoration – she looked beautiful, and it had been years since the las time he had seen her smile so sincereley. He noticed how her left hand constantly rubbed her belly, and it seemed the only thing his daughter wanted to talk about, was of her own unborn daughter. She had had her first ultrasound a few days before returning to New York, and C.C. was thrilled by the prospect of mothering a little girl. She still hadn't decided on a name, but she had been working on a long list. Motherhood had changed his daughter, and it certainly suited her – she was softer, she smiled more often, she was finally taking care of herself, but most of all, she was opening up. Ever since she had gotten to know about her pregnancy, C.C. had been relying a lot on Stewart, and she had allowed herself to discuss a number of delicate emotional issues -like alcoholism or why she had pinned after Maxwell- with him.

The ride to her new mansion was silent, mainly because C.C. dozed off as soon as she lied down on one of the car seats, and Stewart didn't have the heart to wake her up. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, and it was almost as though she was a little girl once again. He remembered that on the rare occasions he'd put her to bed when she was a child, he'd sit by her side and invent a story; he used to do all the funny voices, something that had always delighted his youngest… Now that he was going to be a grandfather he had the chance to do it again, only this time he was planning on being an involved grandparent. The trip to the mansion took longer than he expected,though, for there was a terrible traffic jam which for C.C. was wonderful because she got to sleep for a little longer.

"Honey, wake up, we've arrived," Stewart murmured while gently shaking his daughter awake.

"Five more minutes," She grumbled without opening her eyes. Stewart chuckled at her reluctance, she was really tired, but she needed to wake up.

"Kitten, we've arrived home, wake up."

C.C. slowly fluttered her eyes open, and stretched her body on her seat. Damn, that had been one good nap. The blonde tried to sit up, but her expanding belly didn't allow her to do so, "I need help over here," she said, extending his arms at her father who carefully helped her back up. "This is one things I certainly do not like about being pregnant."

"You should get used to it, kiddo, you still have a long way to go," Stewart chirped while stepping out of the limo. "Now, I want you to close your eyes and keep them that way until we get into the mansion."

C.C. rolled her eyes skyward in mild bemusement. Her father had been preparing the house for her arrival, and he wanted it to be a surprise; she didn't get his enthusiasm, it was just a house, but seeing as he was being extremely supportive, she'd humour him. "Alright, just take care so I don't bump against anything."

Stewart's response was a throaty chuckle before he helped her out of the limo. She had seen the outside of the mansion before, but she had never actually seen its interior – so, as she neared the entrance door, she could feel a frisson of excitement rushing through her body. It had been ages since she had been so excited to return to her own home, and she liked the feeling. She heard her father unlocking the door before he carefully guided her inside.

"Alright, now open your eyes."

A loud gasp escaped C.C.'s lips the moment her eyes drunk on the beauty of her new house – She was standing in an elegant entrance hall, which counted with a comfortable closet and led to a beautiful living room. The room was spacious and well lit, it had two large windows encased by delicate ochre curtains, which had an excellent view of the street. There was a wonderful fireplace surrounded by a sofa and a number of arm chairs, and C.C. couldn't wait to spend lazy afternoons snuggled under a warm blanket while she watched her soaps. Both the furniture and the room were done in earth tone colours, something that only enhanced the air of tranquillity in the room.

Just next to the fireplace there was a tall mahogany door that leaded to a beautiful dining room, which was also connected to the kitchen. The second floor was just as impressive as the first one, and C.C. nearly lost her balance when she caught a glimpse of her bedroom. It was an enormous earth toned en-suite, extremely luminous and it also had a little balcony. The room that was supposed to be the nursery was just next to the main bedroom, and was just as spacious as the aforementioned room. The nursery wasn't furnished yet, and it had been the only room of the house Stewart had purposely left undone.

"So, what do you think?" a beaming Stewart asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"I love it, dad. The house is perfect for me and the baby," she replied with a watery smile as she quickly brushed away a few lone tears that had pooled in her eyes. Damned pregnancy hormones, she got emotional all the time, and any little silliness was enough to set her off! "Jesus Christ, why do I cry all the time?" she wheezed.

"You are just a little sensitive, and it's perfectly natural. Your own mother, the human equivalent of an iceberg, cried like a baby whenever she was pregnant," Stewart crossed the room in a few confident strides and enveloped a comforting arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"Niles would have probably said I'm finally melting," C.C. stated. My God, if Niles had witnessed this undesired bout of emotion, he wouldn't have let her hear the end of it!

"I am sure you'd have come up with an appropriate witty retort," Her father gave her shoulders another good-natured squeeze, "Now, what do you say if you rest for a while and then we go out for lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan. I could really use another nap…"

"That's what I thought, kiddo."

* * *

5 months had gone by since C.C.'s departure, and each day that passed without her, was like torture to Niles. In a way he had gotten used to her absence, routine helped him endure it, but the monotony of his life was starting to get to him. Until she left, Niles hadn't realised how much of his time zinging Miss Babcock had consumed; now that she was gone there was an emptiness in his day that not even cleaning _under_ things had been able to fill.

He had gotten used to having her around, she had been in his life for the past 16 years, and as he had told her the night of their not-so-drunk kiss, she had been his hobby… Of course by now his feelings for her had changed, and he now craved her presence not because he wanted entertainment, but because he loved her. Life with the Sheffields had become quite dull now that Fran had married Max, so he had found himself spending a lot of time at her empty penthouse. He went there every day when his shift was over and devotedly cleaned it up, but it wasn't nearly enough to lift his spirits.

He felt alone, and he hadn't been able to stop obsessing over the words that he had heard her say over the phone. Niles had clearly heard her mutter the words 'morning sickness', but in her letters she hadn't said a word about being pregnant or that she was dating a man. This had consoled him somewhat, for he was sure that if she were dating someone, she'd have rubbed it in his face -just like she had done when she had dated Chandler. But a dark corner of his mind kept reminding him she didn't trust him, and that she wouldn't want to tell him about it.

What he detested the most, however, was not knowing for certain how or where she was. He hadn't spoken to her since their short conversation after the Sheffield's wedding, and the frequency of her letters had decreased. She had stopped writing weekly, so now –if he was lucky- he got a letter every two weeks. He could only hope she decided to come back soon, because he couldn't bear a C.C.- less existence for much longer.

But then came yet another blow: last week, when he had gone to clean up her apartment, as usual, the doorman had stopped him and delivered the awful news.

 _"_ _Hello Harry, nice to see you," Niles greeted the doorman with a curt nod and sauntered toward the elevator._

 _"_ _Niles, wait! You can't go up!" Harry called out._

 _Niles turned around, his face screwed up in utter bewilderment. Why couldn't he go up? He had been coming for the past months and he had never had a problem. Had C.C. discovered he had been around and ordered the doorman not to let him go up anymore? "Why not, Harry?"_

 _"_ _Uh… the penthouse has been sold, it doesn't belong to Miss Babcock anymore. She asked her father to sell it, and a couple has just bought it."_

The news had come as a bolt from the blue, and he remembered he had stood there, with his mouth slightly agape, until he had forced himself out of his stunned state and had scurried out of the building. Why had she sold her penthouse? Why now? Had she decided not to come back? After the incident at her former home, the venomous thoughts of C.C. leaving him behind had overtaken his mind, and every day was a battle to get out of bed. He felt life was meaningless without her... it was dull, uninteresting, empty… He had little or no reasons to smile, and not even the news of Fran's pregnancy had been enough to cheer him up. Niles needed to understand his former nemesis' actions, but everything she did confused him to no end.

What was he going to do now? He had no idea how he could contact her, she didn't write frequently anymore and she had stopped sending pictures, or -better said- she had stopped sending pictures of her. He did receive a scarce amount of pictures with each of her letters, but none of them featured her… They were mostly shots from places she had visited. He was beating his brains out to understand the sudden change in her behaviour, but he'd never came up with a reasonable cause… except, that what he had heard was true and she was pregnant.

The sole thought of C.C. carrying another man's child was enough to make his heart sink, for he was afraid of the prospect of her having found love while she was in Argentina. If that were the case, he didn't know how he'd be able to cope, much less when he was dying to tell her how much he loved her. Damn him, and damn his stupidity! He had lost 16 precious years, and now there was a possibility that he had already lost her forever.

But he couldn't allow himself to dwell in these depressing thoughts, he needed to occupy his time, and that's why today he was accompanying Fran on a shopping spree for the baby. The woman was only one month pregnant, but according to her she needed to buy everything, ' ** _like, right now'._** He was already waiting for his friend in the car and, as usual, Fran was taking her time to get ready. When he finally saw her strutting towards the car, he released a relieved sigh and started the engine.

"Sorry for taking so long, Scarecrow, I couldn't find an outfit that convinced me," Fran shot an apologetic smile at his friend, and settled on her seat.

"There is no problem, Mrs Sheffield. So, where would you like to go first?" his voice sounded slightly dryer than he had intended, but he couldn't help it, he had found his patience was short these days.

"Hm, what about F.A.O Shwartz?" the brunette offered, ignoring his bad mood.

"As you wish, Mrs Sheffield."

The car ride was uneventful, and he had to admit Fran's constant blabbering was enough to keep him distracted. Her nasal voice was enough to drown the troubling thoughts that were currently lurking inside of his mind, and he had finally started to relax. To make things better, traffic was unusually light, and the day was beautiful. Yes, that's what he needed, spending a nice day with a friend. Once they had parked the car, the pair of friends walked the short distance to the gigantic toy shop, and began their hunt for the perfect toys for the nursery.

Niles' mind had floated away the moment Fran started telling him one of her numerous anecdotes as she looked for toys, but he was quickly brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a distant, yet familiar voice.

"Thanks to you too, and goodbye!" The voice spoke in a singsong.

Niles' eyes darted to the entrance door, and just when he was about to turn his head once again, a flash of golden hair caught his attention. The butler practically sprung to the door, trying to catch a glimpse of that hair once again, but when he reached the entrance, he saw no one… Curiously enough, the air around him smelled of a very familiar Chanel Nº5.

* * *

 **AN: Hey there! Here goes another chapter :) Once again thank you for reading my story, and a special thank to TheCrownedLioness, for she's been an amazing support! I hope you like this chaper and I'd love some reviews!**


	11. Sweet Child O' Mine

**_Chapter 11_**

"PUSH, CHASTITY, PUSH!" Dr. Jacobs ordered to an exhausted C.C..

C.C. had thought she knew pain, but this labour was showing her what real pain felt like. She felt her body was being ripped apart, and all the strength she had seemed to be insufficient to bring her baby into this world. Her labour had started almost 25 hours ago, and even if her body was practically screaming at her to push, she simply had no more strength.

The last months of her pregnancy had been extremely relaxed, the producer had slowly gotten used to NYC's rhythm once again, and she had centred her life on preparing herself for the impending arrival of her baby. She hadn't contacted the Sheffields yet, for she felt she still wasn't ready to face her old life; in turn she had spent a lot of time with her father, who was more than happy to help her out with the baby. Shortly after her arrival to New York, they had designed they nursery, and she had even insisted on painting it together. Stewart couldn't say no, of course, so father and daughter had spent a whole afternoon painting the baby's room in a pale liliac colour. They had placed the furniture shortly after, and then filled it with baby toys, essentials and clothes. Contrary to what she had expected, she had had a lot of fun shopping for her baby; the former producer had never liked spending time in toy stores or – if she was being honest- any store that was frequented by kids. But motherhood had done wonders with C.C., and F.A.O. Shwartz had become practically her second home. She was certain her baby had almost every stuffed animal in existence, and she had bought so many clothes, she had had to put some of them in her own closet, for she had run out of space in the baby's room!

Probably what she had loved most about being pregnant, was how fulfilled she had felt. C.C. had taken it a day at a time, and she had learnt to enjoy her pregnancy. One of the things she remembered the most, was the first time her daughter had kicked her. She had been lying on her sofa, reading a book and eating an alfajor, when she had felt it. She remembered she had smiled so much her cheeks had begun to hurt, and she had called her father almost immediately after the moment was over. Her baby liked whenever she played the piano, so C.C. had spent hours in front of her piano, playing any song that came to her mind. It was quite interesting, she thought, she had already bonded with a little human she didn't even know yet but already loved more than life itself…

Of course she had had her bad days too, but she had learnt to get through them. Sometimes, the fear of being a bad mother, or that he child wouldn't love her had paralysed her. The blonde sometimes had felt it was too much for her to take, and that she had been crazy to think she'd be able to do this… But lucky for her, her father had always reminded her she wasn't alone.

To her surprise, her brother Noel had been a big support too, and they had made bets about her due date. He had come by her home every two weeks, and she had always had a blast with him; Noel had also brought an extraordinary amount of parenting books to her, and she had read them attentively. Both her mother and sister had chosen not to be part of her life when they had discovered how she had gotten pregnant, and even if it had hurt her a bit, C.C. supposed it was probably for the better. She didn't want her child to grow up to be like them, after all.

During her first months in New York, she had rarely left her house, for she had feared being spotted by any of her old 'friends'. But as her pregnancy had progressed, she had realised she didn't give a shit about what anyone thought of her. She was happy for the first time in her life, so if anyone wanted to badmouth her, then so be it. C.C. had made a habit of going for walks around Central Park, and she had always stopped by a little café nearby her house whenever she returned from her long strolls. As a consequence, she had quickly befriended the owners, who always prepared her a special treat whenever she visited the café.

The blonde was happy, and even if she knew she was going to be a single mother and that it wouldn't be easy, the prospect of having her baby in her arms had been enough to lift her moods even in her darkest days. She had loved talking to her belly, and a lot of times she would just lay on her back while she ate vanilla ice cream and observed her baby move. Her child was an active baby, and thanks to her incessant movements, she had spent many nights in veil. Around the seventh month of her pregnancy she had discovered that if she sang a certain nursery rhyme, the baby calmed down. It had amazed her how well she had been able to understand her unborn daughter, and the knowledge that she had already bonded with her, had made the idea of parenthood a little less scary.

But during her pregnancy she had felt something was missing in her life, and she knew exactly what it was. The blonde missed Niles… But she hadn't wanted to face him in her condition, the stress wouldn't have been good for her or the baby. She had walked by the Sheffield mansion on numerous occasions, and she had even thought about stopping by… But she had always decided otherwise.

She had stopped sending letters to Niles when she had reached her third trimester, and she had asked her father not to disclose she had come back to the country to anyone-something Stewart had begrudgingly agreed to. Her father had encouraged her to go and visit the Sheffields, but she had always turned him down. C.C. knew she'd eventually face them, but she had preferred to keep them away for the duration of her pregnancy.

When her due date had approached, Stewart had insisted on her moving temporarily with him, so he'd be able to assist her in case she went into labour. C.C. hadn't wanted to leave her new house, but she had figured it was the best for both her and the baby. Her father had been a wonderful company most of the time, and he had even allowed her to help him out at the office with contracts and business deals.

When she had finally gone into labour, C.C. had felt quite relaxed, it couldn't be so bad, now could it?

 ** _But oh boy, she had been wrong._**

The pain she was currently experiencing was all-consuming, and it felt like her insides were being twisted, pulled and squeezed, all at the same time. The pain of her contractions was mind-numbing, and she felt like she was trapped in a sea of pain, with no coastline in sight.

"Come on, Kitten, you need to push," Stewart encouraged her, while he dabbed her forehead with a cold cloth. "This is the last effort, you have to push," the older man was putting on a brave face for the sake of his daughter, but the only thing he wanted to do at the moment, was cry. He couldn't stand seeing his Kitten suffering, and knowing he couldn't do anything to make her feel better was pulling at his heart.

"I c-can't... this hurts too much... I ... " C.C. trailed off when she felt yet another contraction hitting her. "My God, I can't do this!"

"Yes you can, Chastity Claire," her father retorted in a steely voice, "You've always been a fighter, you've always been able to overcome any obstacle that came in your way. You are doing wonderfully, this is the last effort, I swear, and you'll have your daughter with you."

Her father was right, she had never given up, and she hadn't gotten this far to give up now.

"Chastity, there is another contraction coming, I need you to push as hard as you can in 3…2…1… NOW!"

The former producer clasped her father's hand in a vice-grip, and accepted the pain, she allowed her body to take control and stopped fighting against what her instinct was telling her to do. C.C. focused all her strengths in only one thing: pushing. Yes, it hurt, it hurt like hell, but she slowly felt how the tiny body of her daughter moved down the birth canal. Once she heard her doctor had counted to ten, she fell back against her pillow, and prepared herself to push once again.

"Come on, mama, there is another one coming! I can see her head!" Dr. Jacobs exclaimed, and guided her hand to her vagina "This is your daughter's head Chastity, you are almost there!"

The moment her fingers touched the little head in between her legs, C.C. found the strength she had been missing, and pushed with all her might one last time, her only goal being holding her baby in her arms. And then came wonderful relief… and a loud wail filled the room.

"You did it Kitten! You did it!" Stewart practically screamed as tears of joy leaked from his eyes. He still had C.C.'s hand in his, but he was currently observing the tiny creature being cleaned and wrapped in a little pink blanket.

"Ok mama, meet your daughter!" a nurse said with a gentle smile, and placed a small, wriggly creature on C.C.'s chest. The blonde woman looked down at her daughter in awe, and burst out crying – she was an emotional mess, but the feeling of holding her child for the first time was proving to be the most wonderful and fulfilling experience of her life.

"She is so beautiful," she whimpered as she instinctively guided the baby's mouth to her breast.

Dr Jacobs nodded, smiling widely "That, she is. Have you decided on a name?"

C.C. didn't respond immediately, for she was lost in the blissful sensation that was nursing her baby. Her child had latched on to her breast without trouble, and she seemed content and relaxed to be sprawled over her tired mother's chest. She felt her heart was bursting with love, a type of love she had never felt before – it was all consuming, it was as though every fibre of her being wanted to protect and care for the tiny baby currently lying on her chest. She was the centre of C.C.'s very existence, and being able to hold her in her arms was worth all the pain she had gone through.

"Amelia. Her name is Amelia Babcock," the blonde woman choked out, her eyes never leaving her daughter's little face.

"Excellent, Chastity. Would you like us to take Amelia to the nursery so you can rest?" Dr Jacobs asked as he scribbled the name of the infant in a little bracelet before putting it around her tiny wrist.

"No, I want her here, with me."

The doctor nodded and breezed out of the room, leaving the new mother, Amelia and Stewart alone.

"Hello there Amelia, I am your mommy," C.C. cooed, her goofy smile lighting the room. Amelia chose that precise moment to open her deep blue eyes and looked up at C.C., who instantly teared up. The baby's eye colour was similar to Niles', they shared the same shade of blue. "Oh my God… your eyes look just like his! And he isn't even your father!" the blonde said in a tremulous voice.

"What are you talking about, kitten?"

"Her eyes, she has Niles' eyes," C.C. almost whispered as she got lost in those deep blue orbs once again.

* * *

Niles had never believed in fate or whatsoever, but over the past months he had begun to think that, perhaps, he had been wrong. Since the strange episode at the toy shop, Niles hadn't been able to stop thinking about the producer, and –to his frustration- in the last five months he had believed to see C.C. on many occasions. He had never been able to say for sure if it was really her, but something inside him told him so. The second time he had believed to see the blonde had been almost a month after the incident in F.A.O. Shwartz. He had gone out grocery shopping, and as it had been a lovely winter day he had chosen to walk to the store. Niles had always loved winter, and walking through the city under layers of warm clothes helped him relax. He had gone to the nearby supermarket, gathered everything he needed fairly quickly, and then pushed his shopping cart to the check-out line. There were perhaps three people before him, and he wasn't in a hurry, so he retrieved one of the books C.C. had mailed him from his pocket. He had really liked Jorge Luis Borges' writing, and he had re-read the little books more times than he could count. The moment he had focused his gaze on his book, he had heard her voice once again; immediately his head had shot up, attempting to find her, but he only saw the back of a tall blonde walking out of the store. He had run out of the line, and attempted to follow her, but he was a second too late, for the woman had already gotten into a cab when he had gotten out of the store.

The third time it had happened was when he was walking Chester – Miss Babcock had gifted him to the Sheffields when she had left. The little dog had freed himself from his leash, dashed to the door of an imposing mansion and he had begun yapping furiously while he scratched the door. The little animal seemed desperate to get into that house, and the butler was extremely confused by this; Chester usually behaved whenever he walked him, so his escape had been strange. Niles had had to pick the little dog up and carry him back home, for it didn't want to move from the mansion's door. Just when he had turned around the corner, he had seen a blonde woman walking out of the house and getting into a beautiful Mercedes Benz that was parked in front of the mansion. He had noticed the woman was pregnant, so he had chosen no to investigate.

There had been more situations similar to these three, but he had never seen her clearly… His life had turned absolutely monotonous again, for the blonde woman had stopped writing to him. It was extremely depressing, and he couldn't understand why… They had been getting closer, she had seemed happier, and then, all of a sudden, she had disappeared. The butler was crumbling down, and the only thing that could make him smile was the blonde producer.

The family had noticed his deep sadness, and they had tried to cheer him up on many occasions: Fran had gifted him a First-Class ticket to London, so he could visit his family, the kids were polite and tidy, and Maxwell had given him not one, but three rises. He had really tried to move on, but he couldn't… he simply couldn't. Not knowing where C.C. was or if she was really pregnant was consuming him, and no matter how many times he had asked Stewart if he knew where C.C. was, he had never told him anything.

It was torture, and if things didn't change fast, he'd probably take a plane to Buenos Aires and look for her until he had found her.

"Niles, Old Man, could you come by my office?" Maxwell's voice asked from the intercom. Niles reluctantly stopped folding clothes, and lumbered to the office.

"You called, sir?"

"Yes, Niles, I need you to take Fran to a doctor's appointment at the hospital. I have a meeting to attend to, and now that her pregnancy is on an advanced stage I'd prefer her to go accompanied. Would you mind?"

"Of course not, sir. Do I have to drive her right now?" he asked politely, avoiding his gaze, for Niles knew Maxwell could read the sadness in his eyes.

"Yes, please."

"Very well, sir, I'll look for Mrs Sheffield and we'll be gone," Niles informed his boss before breezing out of the mansion. He needed to get out of the house more often, he thought, lately he had felt asphyxiated in it.

The drive to the hospital was quite fast, and once they had parked the car, he had walked Fran to her doctor's office and had politely excused himself. The middle aged butler roamed the hospital aimlessly, lost in thought; he hadn't realised that he had gotten to the maternity ward until a piercing scream coming from a nearby room interrupted his train of thought. His blood ran went cold when he heard the appalling wail, for it sounded awfully familiar…

 _"I c-can't... this hurts too much... I ..." the woman cried before releasing yet another pained scream. "My God, I can't do this!"_

Without thinking about what he was doing, the butler pressed his head to the bedroom door, and pricked up his ears. Could that… could that be? No. No, there wasn't a chance in hell… It couldn't be. He heard the muffled voice of a man whispering something, and then another wail came from the room.

 _"_ _Chastity, there is another contraction coming, I need you to push as hard as you can in 3…2…1… NOW!"_

Chastity? It seemed he had been wrong, he didn't know anyone named Chastity. How had it occurred to him C.C.-? But wait, he didn't know C.C.'s first name, perhaps this woman really was the blonde producer, and perhaps she was behind that door… But if that were the case, then his worst fear would be true: she had indeed found another man. Was he brave enough to find out if it was really her?

Yes, he had to know, he couldn't wait any lon-

And he heard it, a loud wail filling the room… No, he couldn't do it, if it was really her imside that room, he wouldn't be ready to face the fact he had lost her forever… Not now…

Niles sheepishly backed away from the room's door, and steadily walked back to where Fran was waiting for him. He was a coward, and how he hated himself for being so.

* * *

 **AN: All I can say for the next chapter is... FASTEN YOUR SEAT-BELTS! Anyway, hope you liked this chapter too! Thanks for reading and I'd appreciate some reviews!**


	12. Four Seasons Of Loneliness

**_Chapter 12_**

3 months. 3 wonderful, fun, exhilarating and sleep-deprived months had gone by since C.C. Babcock had become a mother. Never in her life had she ever imagined she could be this happy, and she had certainly never imagined she could love someone this much… The producer had never liked _feeling_ too much, for in a way it made her feel vulnerable -but with Amelia it was different, the nature of the love she felt for her tiny baby was pure and uninterested, and her only goal was to make her daughter happy.

She had to admit it, taking care of a child wasn't easy, much less when she was on her own, but it was certainly worth it. The following days after Amelia was born, the producer had stayed with her father, who had done his best for her to even be able to sleep for a good four hours at night. She had been fascinated by how well she understood her baby, and as days had gone by, the fear of not being able to care for Amelia had slowly disappeared. C.C. could spend hours hugging her child or just observing her sleep.

Little by little she had learnt to take care of her, and her old nanny Bobo had paid her a visit and had carefully explained how to properly bath, change and feed her child. It still surprised C.C. how tiny she was, how utterly defenceless her Amelia was, and it felt nice to be needed by her. Every milestone in her development thrilled C.C. to no end, and she remembered that the first time Amelia had smiled at her, she had shed a few tears…

 ** _Good God, she had softened._**

If a year ago anyone had told her this would be her life, she'd have probably laughed in their face, but now she couldn't imagine her life being any different. In a way motherhood was both the most beautiful and the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced -there were moments when she felt unworthy of what she had, she couldn't understand how she –the Bitch of Broadway- had been blessed with such a beautiful child… But lucky for her, most of the days she was only grateful. Over the past year she had grown, changed, and matured. She no longer was that broken woman who had fled to Buenos Aires a year ago, and she had finally found one of the answers she had been looking for, she now understood who she was: She was C.C. Babcock, a human being, and first and most importantly, a mother.

But, even if she was deliriously happy, there was a little unresolved issue she knew she had to solve… And that issue had a name: Niles the Butler. The blonde missed him, she missed him so much it hurt... During her pregnancy she had been able to push the need to see him to the back of her mind, but she wasn't pregnant anymore, which meant she had no excuse to delay seeing him again. But she was afraid, afraid of him having forgotten her, afraid of him not wanting anything to do with her… afraid of him not loving her.

Distance and time hadn't changed her feelings for him one bit, if anything they had made them stronger. She wanted to explain to him why she had left, why she had written those letters, and why she had stopped doing so too; but there was this deep fear inside of her that didn't allow her to walk the short distance between her house and the Sheffield's mansion.

But now wasn't the time to be thinking about all of this, she chastised herself as she finished dressing her child, now it was time to take Amelia out for a walk.

"Ok little one, let's get you into your stroller so we can leave," the blonde cooed to her baby, who in restponse flashed a toothless smile at her mother and made a gurgling noise. "I know, I am exited too!"

C.C. carefully placed her daughter in her brand new stroller, took her purse, baby bag, and her sunglasses and finally opened the front door. The day was beautiful; the morning sun warmed her fair skin, there wasn't a cloud in sight, and a warm breeze blew over, so she decided to take little Amelia's shoes off, after all she wouldn't be needing them.

As both mother and daughter began their way to the nearest park, C.C. talked incessantly to her child. She had once read in a book that by talking, singing or making noises at her baby, she helped her develop her communication skills, so she had taken to explaining her daughter every little thing she did, heard or saw.

"And you see that, Amelia? That is a traffic light, and we have to wait until the light turns green before crossing the street," C.C. said, and got a little gurgle as a response. But soon the gurgle became a whimper, and before she knew it, Amelia was crying. C.C. wasn't surprised by this at all -judging by the time she was probably hungry- and Amelia usually got really moody when she was hungry.

"Ok, ok, relax. Mommy will attend to you in some minutes," C.C. spoke as she began crossing the street, already knowing where she could go to feed her child. Almost two blocks from there, there was a café she had frequented during her pregnancy, and she knew she'd be able to feed Amelia there.

The blonde got to the little café in no time, greeted the staff and walked directly to one of the boxes in the back.

"Alright little one, it's time for your feeding," said to her baby and gently placed her on her lap, with her tiny back resting against her stomach "Just let me get some things before we get started."

Hadn't the blonde been so immersed in her child, she'd have noticed a slack-jawed, blue eyed butler staring at her.

* * *

Niles' Sunday had started as usual, he had woken up around 8:00 am, gotten dressed and then he had begun his daily chores by preparing breakfast. There was a strange feeling in the air, however, as though something was about to happen; he quickly brushed the feeling off, for it wasn't unusual for him to feel that way after the incident at the hospital. He still couldn't understand why he hadn't gone inside the room... It had been his chance to discover if she was there, but once again his fears had played against him.

It had been over a year since he had last seen C.C., and he missed her with the same intensity since the very first day without her. The former producer had stopped sending both photos and letters to him, which made him feel she was an unattainable dream. To distract himself from his gloomy thoughts, he decided to turn the radio on, but it wasn't of much help really, for the song that emanated from it only made him think about her.

 ** _Unforgettable, that's what you are_**

 ** _Unforgettable, both near or far_**

 ** _Like a song of love that clings to me_**

 ** _How the thought of you does things to me_**

He sighed, she really was unforgettable... No matter how much time went by, or if they were apart, she was omnipresent in his life. Never had a woman bewitched him like C.C. had, and he didn't want to be bewitched by another one either. His memories of her were all he had, and they both haunted and warmed him. Thinking about the way her blue eyes shone whenever they sparred, or the way they crinkled whenever she smiled truthfully, or about the way she walked - as though she could take the world with her bare hands and without getting a single hair out of place- , helped him get by.

Her absence had been a bitter pill to swallow, and it had affected him in more ways than he was willing to admit. Not only her absence was a strain for his emotional health, but it had affected his physical health too. He had aged quickly -it was as though she had somehow taken some of his vitality with her when she left- and as a result his sandy hair had begun to grey, his face was creased by an infinity of new wrinkles, and his previously jovial, youthful and expressive eyes now seemed timeworn. He had lost the light in his life, and even if he had went on, part of him knew he'd never be the same without her.

 ** _Never before_**

 ** _Has someone been more_**

 ** _Unforgettable in every way_**

 ** _And forever more, that's how you'll stay_**

 ** _That's why darling it's incredible_**

 ** _That someone so unforgettable_**

 ** _Thinks that I am unforgettable too_**

He often wondered if she was ever going to come back, or if she had already built a new life somewhere else… Had she forgotten him? Because he certainly hadn't forgotten her. The butler was still haunted by the many doubts concerning the cause of her mental breakdown; he felt guilty, and even if he rationally knew it had taken a lot more than his pranks to break her, a little voice in his head constantly screamed 'It was your fault, yours and only yours.'. The mere memory of her scared eyes when he had left her at the place was enough to make him cringe. He hadn't been prepared to see the strongest person he knew break down. She had always been a selfish, powerful, ruthless and dangerous woman... and he loved her in spite of that. Well, it was more like her loved her because of that.

 ** _Unforgettable in every way, oh, oh, oh_**

 ** _And forever more, that's how you'll stay_**

 ** _That's why darling it's incredible_**

 ** _That someone so unforgettable_**

 ** _Thinks that I am unforgettable too_**

By this point in his life, he would have given anything to hear her sultry laugh again, or even one of those disdainful groans she let out whenever he pushed her to the limits of her patience. Niles had prayed for a miracle, but it had never happened… He had convinced himself that the few times he had seen her walking down the street had only been his mind toying with him- but deep down he suspected he hadn't seen illusions, that he had seen her. Of course he didn't know what was worse: Imagining seeing her everywhere, or actually having seen her and having lost the opportunity to talk to his former nemesis.

As his mind sailed away into the ocean of his memories, the butler absentmindedly carried the infinity of aliments he had prepared for the family to the table. The house was still asleep, and judging by the time he still had about ten minutes of peaceful solitude, so he decided to use the time to relax at the terrace. The day was beautiful, there wasn't a cloud in sight, and the warm morning sun shone over New York, which was already bursting with activity. Niles walked to the edge of the terrace, and rested his elbows on the brick wall; he could observe the passers-by from his spot, and he usually liked doing so whenever his mind was jammed with thoughts. There was something oddly relaxing about peeking on people's lives from up there, without being seen – For example, there was a young couple walking down the street hand in hand; a content smile played across the woman's features, and every once in a while she glanced down at her newly bejewelled finger. Her partner had the expression of someone who was utterly pleased with himself, and he too glanced occasionally at her finger. For a moment, Niles imagined how it would be to walk like that with C.C. – he imagined he'd surely wrap his arm around her shoulders, while hers would be snaked around his middle. He imagined how her soft skin would feel under his fingertips, and how her familiar scent would make him smile like a fool... Her blonde hair would surely shine against the sun, just like the one belonging to a blonde woman passing by was… Wait.

 ** _WAIT_**.

He knew that hair! Niles' eyes searched for the woman who had just passed by, and almost lost his balance when he focused on her. The woman was pushing a stroller, and seemed to be talking to an infant child. The butler leaned forward, taking care not to lose his footing, and stared in awe at her; she had her back turned to him, and was waiting for the light to change in order to cross the street. The resemblance to C.C. was almost scary, and he wondered if it was his mind playing tricks on him again… But he discarded that idea in a matter of seconds, for the woman had turned around, and although he was a few feet away from her, he clearly recognized her profile.

It was as though his body had a mind of its own, for he rushed back into the mansion and practically sprinted to the entrance door. He had to talk to her, he had to see her! She had walked away by the time he had reached the corner where she had been standing only minutes ago, but he easily spotted her walking towards a little café almost two blocks away from him. The butler could feel the wild beating of his heart, and the blood thundering in his ears -it was real, she was there, and after a year of not seeing her he was about to meet her again. His mind was flooded with questions, and he wondered if she'd be happy to see him…

He got to the café in record time, pushed the door open with a shaky hand…

 ** _And his heart almost stopped._**

It was really her… The woman of his dreams was back! It was hard not to notice her radiance, for it was like a lighthouse guiding a ship to shore. He watched her sit down with the young child… A child?! She had a daughter?! Now that his mind had calmed down a bit, the sight of C.C. holding a baby shook him to the core. So he hadn't imagined it, she had really been pregnant, it was really true... And by God, she was beautiful! But then came a sobering thought… had she found another man? The butler's eyes darted to her left hand, but he found no ring on her finger, which only produced more doubts in him. How had that baby come to be? Was she dating someone? Why had she hidden her pregnancy from the Sheffields? Why had she avoided them? Why had she avoided him? There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, and also something in Niles made him ache for her to notice him, to speak with him, to see her up close with the child, but the blonde woman was so caught up in her baby, she had failed to acknowledge his presence, and Niles decided to sit down on a table near hers, so as to watch her for a while.

"Alright, little one, it's time for your feeding," C.C. cooed to the baby, and gently sat Amelia on her lap, while her little back rested against her stomach "Just let me get some things before we get started."

Niles observed how she took a little towel from her purse, and placed it just over her left breast. The former producer then proceeded to cradle her child in her arms, while she used one of her hands to discretely undo the top down buttons from her blouse, and unclasp one of the straps of her nursing top. Niles knew he should probably look away, but he was spellbound by the sight in front of him. He observed in awe how the baby quickly latched on to her breast and began to eat. C.C. winced for a second, but her expression quickly softened before she released a content sigh.

"That's it Amelia, eat up," she whispered, and softly brushed her index finger against her daughter's cheek. By the look of pure calmness on her face, Niles could tell she was enjoying nursing her baby, and he cocked his head in amusement when she began to almost imperceptibly rock her body back and forth while she hummed a lullaby. His heart melted when he saw how the baby curled her little fingers around C.C.'s index. He imagined himself sitting beside her, helping hide her while she fed the child. Niles wanted to learn the baby's name, he wanted to speak to the child, even if she wouldn't respond. He wanted to hold the baby, rock it to sleep… Maybe he was just going through a fatherly phase, but he doubted that, for something inside of him said that it had to do with C.C..

"Here you go, Miss Babcock, your usual order: Pancakes with whipped cream, caramel and butter, and a diet coke," the waitress spoke as she gently placed her plate and drink before C.C.. The young woman's eyes momentarily lingered on Amelia, and the edges of her mouth curved into a small smile "She's really pretty."

C.C. looked up from her baby and smiled back at the waitress, "Thank you, Maureen."

"Is she a tranquil baby?" Maureen asked, while pouring C.C.'s refreshment in a glass.

"Usually yes, but yesterday she had an… 'active' night," both C.C. and Maureen chuckled softly. "Well, if I'm being honest I've barely slept since I gave birth to her."

"Don't you have anyone to help you?"

The former producer nodded softly, again centring her attention on the baby, "Nope, it's just her and me. But it's not so bad, during the day we both take naps."

So she was a single mother, Niles thought. Well, that was a curveball. Not even in his wildest dreams he'd have ever imagined C.C. Babcock would willingly be a single mother, less one that seemed to be so nurturing and caring. It wasn't that he thought she'd be a bad mother, but he had thought caring for children wasn't something she'd want to do, much less if she didn't have a husband by her side. Of course her situation was exceptional, she was on her own, and if she didn't take care of the baby then no one would. The butler felt bad for her, she certainly looked tired, and he clearly remembered just how hard caring for a baby was from the time he had to look after the Sheffield three. She needed help, and part of him ached to offer it. But he was getting ahead of himself… He hadn't seen the woman in a year, what would make him think she'd want him in her and her daughter's lives? After all, they hadn't parted in 'good terms', there were still tons of things left unsaid between them that needed to be discussed.

Once Amelia was satisfied, C.C. straightened her clothes, and gently rocked her child to sleep. Amelia, however, didn't really want to rest, so she fussed in her mother's arms until C.C. began singing another lullaby. It was a soft tune she had heard Niles sing to Gracie when she was a baby, and it worked wonders on Amelia. The first time she had used it had been one night when Amelia had been particularly upset, and C.C. had unsuccessfully tried to get her to sleep for over two hours. The blonde woman had been desperate, and not knowing how to calm her own daughter down had made her fears of being a bad parent resurface. She had forced herself to try and find a solution, and she had asked herself what would Nanny Fine or Niles do in order to calm a crying child? It was on that moment when she remembered the lullaby, and she had sung it the best she could while she held her baby against her bosom. Eventually, her daughter had drifted to dreamland, and since then the tune never failed to get her to sleep or to calm her down whenever she was upset.

Niles eyebrows shot up in pleasant surprise when he heard the tune she was humming, and slowly his lips curved into a satisfied smile. He remembered that lullaby, he had invented it when Gracie was a baby, and it seemed C.C.'s baby liked it too. The thought of it warmed his heart, for in a way it was like he had helped her with her baby. The butler witnessed how the young child relaxed in C.C.'s arms, and subsequently fell asleep (to the perceivable relief of her mother). The blonde placed a soft kiss on Amelia's forehead, lowered her into her stroller and tucked her in. She lingered for a second before turning her attention to her meal, still not noticing the Englishman who had been scrutinizing her for the past thirty minutes.

"Good morning, sir, sorry for the delay! What would you like to order?" the waitress' voice chimed, startling Niles out of his thoughts. The butler looked up at the woman, blinking owlishly, and clumsily pretended to scan the menu.

"I… uh… want a cappuccino. That would be all," he stammered, while fiddling with the end of his sleeve.

The moment she heard his voice echoing through the little café, C.C.'s body stiffened and a cold shiver ran down her spine. She knew that voice, and it could only belong to one person… She hesitantly turned in the direction of the voice, and felt her soul dropping to her feet- there, sitting on a nearby table and clad in one of his usual suits, was Niles the Butler. She noticed he looked a lot older than the last time she had seen him, and it was as though melancholy enveloped him like an aura. Her scrutiny of him didn't last for long, for the man in question turned to her and their eyes connected for the first time in a long year.

A myriad of emotions flickered through the two pairs of blue orbs, but the two most evident emotions that could be read in them was surprise, and slight fear too. She mechanically opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it. Neither of them dared to move or break their intense connection for what felt like hours, but were only minutes - C.C. wanted to run away, to flee and hide in the safety of her mansion… Why was this happening? Why now? This was not how she had planned to meet him! Less when Amelia…

C.C. felt yet another shiver running down her spine – Amelia! He had seen the baby, and now he knew that she was a… that she had a…

The former producer couldn't finish the thought, for her vision blurred and she fainted only seconds later.

* * *

 **AN: Yay, they've finally reunited! I so wanted to get here, and I can't wait to have the next chapter ready :) Hope you liked this chapter, as usual, and I'd appreciate some reviews.**

 **Until next time! Thanks for reading!**


	13. Here Comes The Sun

**AN: Hey! I wanted to clarify the issue about last chapter's song! I came across** **it while I listened to SIA in Spotify, and I thought it was hers! That being explained, I'll leave you with the chapter. Hope you like it! Thanks for all your reviews, they encourage me a lot.**

* * *

C.C. _was floating in a sea of darkness, but she didn't feel worried or afraid, quite the opposite in fact. She felt content, at peace, as though being there -in that strange and tranquil abyss- was what she had been craving for. She could hear a faint voice in the distance, but she didn't understand what it was saying._

 _She was surrounded by a strange and comforting warmth, she felt safe and part of her wanted to stay there forever. But as minutes -or what felt like minutes- went by, the voice became progressively stronger, until her foggy mind began to understand what it was saying._

"Miss Babcock? Please Miss Babcock, wake up."

 _Why did that voice sound so comforting? Why did it make her happy? She had a feeling she knew that voice, but who did it belong to?_

"Miss Babcock, wake up."

 _And it was as though a ray of light streamed into her dark ocean... That voice... Niles..._

 _ **Niles**_!

C.C. brusquely opened her eyes and, as her vision slowly cleared, she could see a few people standing around her, and she felt two strong arms holding her. For the most part, no one had taken any notice of C.C. fainting. However, the one man that she didn't want to see, was the very one holding her right then. She had known it even before opening her eyes - that familiar scent had given it away.

"Oh good, you're coming to," Niles murmured, slowly helping C.C. sit up, "Are you alright?"

Concern was dripping from each and every one of his words, and in his eyes she saw genuine worry for her. Good God, how she had missed seeing those eyes, and now that he was distracted they were like two open windows to his soul. He was bare before her, he could hide nothing... But then again, neither could she. C.C. still felt the world around her was spinning, and she wasn't sure if it was because she had just fainted, or because of the man who was next to her. Only after some tense and silent seconds had gone by, did C.C. realise she still hadn't answered his question. She nodded faintly as Niles helped her get to a standing position.

"Do you want anything? Water? Something sweet, perhaps?" he inquired once again. C.C. shook her head and tried reaching for her glass, but in her hurry she only managed to drop it to the floor, which caused it to shatter in a million little pieces. The sudden noise awoke a slumbering Amelia, who instantly began crying. At the sound of her daughter's cries, the blonde woman momentarily forgot about the man in front of her, and she carefully picked the distressed baby in her arms. She positioned her daughter against her chest, while one of her hands cradled Amelia's little head.

"Hush Amelia, mommy is here... mommy is here..." the blonde spoke in a hushed voice while she rocked the child and planted little kisses on the side of her head. Thanks to the combination of C.C.' s voice, her soft touch and rocking motions, Amelia's wails quieted down until she eventually relaxed in her mother's arms. "That's it little buddy, relax."

Niles once again was staring at the blonde in bewilderment. He was amazed by the way the former producer had practically blocked the world around her when she had heard her daughter crying... Even now that the baby had calmed down, she was still focused on the little creature in her arms. He didn't want to intrude, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to back away from both mother and baby. So he just stood there, uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot, and awaited for the moment the blonde decided to acknowledge his presence.

The blonde in question felt her heart galloping against her chest, and now that her daughter had calmed down, her thoughts drifted back to the Englishman standing in front of her. My God, he was really there, and she couldn't hide anymore... The moment had come, and it seemed that as she had been reluctant to face her old life, her old life had come to her... Another funny joke from fate, she thought bitterly as she allowed herself to look at Niles once again. When their eyes connected, C.C.'s mouth suddenly went dry, and controlling her breathing became increasingly difficult.

"Hello, Niles," she finally spoke in a quaky voice.

"Hello, Miss Babcock," Niles' even tone contrasted with hers, but both knew that under that façade of calmness he was just as nervous as her, "Is that...your child?" he knew he had asked a stupid question, the answer was obvious, but he needed to hear it from her.

C.C. hesitated for a moment, but she eventually released a sigh and nodded "Yes, she is."

"And her name is Amelia?" Niles liked the way the name sounded, and it certainly was a pretty name.

"Yes." C.C. slowly sat back down on her chair, still looking at him warily.

Niles watched the little child squirming in her mother's arms. He didn't know what it was, but something about the girl instantly won his heart. "Your daughter is beautiful then."

C.C.'s eyebrows shot up in pleasant surprise, and she allowed a little smile to appear on her lips. "Thank you. She's three months old, in case you wanted to know. Would you... would you like to hold her?" she wasn't exactly sure why she had asked that, but it somehow felt like the right thing to say, and a part of her wanted him to know her child. After all, if he was to have a place in her life, he'd have to like her child.

"Yes, I'd like to hold her," Niles tried to keep the excitement in his voice concealed under an impassible expression (Force of habit... He couldn't help himself). She was actually allowing him to hold her daughter... She trusted him enough to, at least, let him hold her.

The blonde carefully gave him the baby, who began to mew at the loss of contact with her mother. Niles carefully cradled the infant in his arms, and two pairs of cerulean orbs met each other. Niles couldn't help but to stare down at the baby in awe. She was perfect...ten little fingers, ten little toes. The roundest belly and the happiest smile. By then the baby had stopped crying, for she seemed to like the strange man. Amelia flashed an adorable toothless smile at the butler, and squealed in delight when Niles tickled her tummy.

"Hello, Amelia," Niles cooed in a gentle and soft voice, "I'm an old friend of your mother's."

C.C.'s eyes widened. Friend? He considered them friends...how strange it was to hear that word coming from the old man. Not that she didn't like it, but it was still strange... Never before in 16 years of knowing Niles had he said he was her friend, so it really meant a lot coming from him.

The baby giggled, extended her tiny hand at him and caught his lower lip in it. Amelia observed it with attention, as if it were the most interesting thing in the universe. Niles couldn't help but to beam at the cute little creature in his arms, she was beautiful... just like her mother.

"Would you like to sit down? We can have coffee... if you want," good God, she sounded like a schoolchild who was talking to her crush! This was Niles, for Pete's sake!

The butler momentarily tore his eyes from the baby and the edge of his mouth curled into a lopsided grin "I'd love to."

Niles took his place in front of C.C., and carefully sat Amelia on his lap, with her back resting against his stomach. C.C. didn't complain, so he took this as a sign she was ok with it. The waitress soon brought the cappuccino Niles had ordered before, as well as a new glass for C.C., who was currently helping herself to a portion of her pancakes.

He still couldn't believe he was sitting with her of all people, much less that he was holding her baby. Good Lord, she was a mother! He still struggled to let that life-changing fact sink in... This changed everything, for he didn't quite know how to act around her now that she had a daughter. Part of him wanted to declare his love for her, but was she looking for that? Or had her priorities changed? He wasn't willing to let her go, however. He wanted things to work between them, but he'd have to proceed with care... For now he could offer to help her with the baby, and if he was lucky she'd say yes.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them for some minutes, and both Niles and C.C. avoided looking at the other, for they didn't know how to start a conversation after a year of being apart. Eventually, Niles began stealing glances at her; now that he was seeing her up close, he was able to notice how tired she looked - there were dark circles under her eyes, and for a woman who had given birth only three months ago, she was noticeably skinny. He knew she couldn't do any housework to save her life, and he guessed cooking fresh and nurturing meals for her wasn't something she did either. She needed to be taken care of, and he'd be damned if he didn't at least try to help her.

"So... uh... how are you doing?" he stuttered, nervously drumming his fingers against the table.

"I've been doing good... And how about you?" her answer was just as awkward as his question, but at least she was now looking at him in the eye.

"Fine, I guess. My life hasn't changed as much as yours."

"Yeah... You could say my little peanut shook my world."

Niles smiled when he heard a sincere chuckle escaping her lips. He had noticed that every time she spoke about her daughter, her eyes seemed to twinkle. "When was she born?"

"March 27th. She was supposed to be born a week later, but she is a Babcock - patience is not one of our virtues. Although she did take her time to make her entrance into this world, I spent 25 hours in labour!" both C.C. and Niles had opposite reactions: C.C.'s lips curled into a small smile, while Niles' had to suppress a grimace. Thinking about the amount of pain she had gone through made him cringe, and part of him lamented not having been able to support her when she was at need.

His distress didn't go unnoticed to the blonde, who covered his hand with hers in a comforting manner. "Relax, Butler Boy, it wasn't that bad. I swear the moment I held her in my arms all the pain disappeared."

Niles was too stunned by her gesture to respond immediately. The feeling of her soft and feminine hand over his was heavenly. However, the moment was interrupted by little Amelia, who was reaching up to grab her mother's attention, which was always easy to do. She even stole Niles attention, as the two were watching the young child with adoring smiles. Niles glanced up at C.C. and saw the love in her eyes for the child. He felt warmth in his chest, and happiness.

"I think she wants to go back with her mother," Niles said, as he handed the little creature back to C.C..

"Hm, I doubt it. This little peanut has a bottomless stomach and she surely wants to eat again!" the blonde was speaking more to the child than to Niles."She does this a lot. Sometimes I put her to sleep after she's had dinner and not even half an hour later she is asking for more."

As she spoke the blonde had taken her baby bag once again, and mechanically began preparing herself to breastfeed, but she then remembered the man sitting in front of her, and stopped her actions, for C.C. didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. "I am sorry, force of habit. I'll retire to the toilet for a second and-"

"Nonsense, Miss Babcock. I am a grown man, I can handle it,"the butler waved a dismissive hand at the woman, and gestured for her to proceed.

"Oh, well, thank you then."

Once Amelia had begun eating while being comfortably sprawled over her mother's chest, the pair resumed their amiable conversation. There was an elephant in the room, however, and they both knew it. They were discussing trivial things, such as what they had been doing or how delicious alfajores were - they even threw good natures zingers at each other, and for a second it was as if nothing had changed... But everything had changed, and they knew they were just delaying an important yet difficult conversation.

"And why did you come back to New York?" Niles asked, stealing a bit of her pancakes.

"Hey! Get your toilet-scrubbing paws off of my food!" C.C. exclaimed in feigned annoyance, "I am the one who needs to eat here!"

"Babcock, your days of eating for two are over! Now let me eat some more." Niles tried stealing yet another helping of the delicious pancakes, but C.C. was too quick for him, and moved the plate out of his reach. Niles huffed in (slightly) exaggerated annoyance and folded his arms over his chest. "Witch."

"And make sure you never forget it, Hazel. Anyway, to answer your previous question, I came back due to my pregnancy.I spent my first trimester in Buenos Aires."

Niles couldn't stop the sad smile appearing on his lips. He was dying to ask how exactly Amelia had come to be, but he knew he couldn't... He had to wait until she brought up the subject, not the other way round. Before bumping into her, Niles had vowed to accept C.C.'s pace if he ever saw her again, and he wasn't going to bring up anything she didn't want to talk about.

"Oh... H-how nice."

The sadness in his voice hinted he wanted to talk about this, and C.C. knew she wanted to do it too, but who'd be brave enough to give the first step? They both knew they had reached a point were their strange 'relationship' had to change, and that nothing good would happen if they kept repeating their old pattern of hiding their feelings... Well, not anymore. If this past year had taught something to C.C., was that she had to face her fears.

"I know you want to know what happened Niles, but not here," she could almost see the disappointment in his eyes, so she quickly reached out to cover his hand with hers, and gave it a good natured squeeze, "What do you think if-"

C.C. trailed off when Niles' phone began ringing, startling both adults. Nile, however, didn't make an attempt to answer it, he kept staring at her until the ringing stopped. C.C. tried to continue her sentence, but the phone rang yet again... Niles groaned, why every special moment with her was interrupted?

"I am sorry, do go on," he huffed.

"No, it's ok, answer the call," C.C. smiled half-heartedly, "Meanwhile I'll put Amelia back in her stroller."

The butler nodded softly, and was internally cursing whoever was calling him. He wasn't surprised when he discovered who was at the other side of the line...

"Hello? Niles?" Maxwell's voice asked.

"Hello sir, has something happened?"

"Well, I don't know, you tell me! You ran out of the house almost an hour and a half ago," concern and mild annoyance permeated from his words.

Niles glanced at C.C., who was busy tucking her baby inside the stroller. "I... uh... ran into an old friend. I'll be back as soon as possible sir." The butler didn't pay attention to what was Maxwell's response, muttered a quick 'Goodbye' and hanged the phone.

"Maxwell, right?" the blonde asked, a knowing smile on her lips.

"Unfortunately yes."

"Good God, that man has the worst timing," C.C. chuckled, but soon went back to sporting an impassible look.

Niles knew the moment was broken, and in wordless agreement both the former producer and the butler chose not to bring it up again. He could only hope she'd want to see him again... After they had paid the bill(Alright after she had paid. In his defence he had tried to pay, but she hadn't let him), Niles helped C.C. gather her things and then headed out of the café together. The few blocks until the Sheffield mansion were covered in a pleasant silence, but occasionally each of them stole glances at the other.

"Well, here we are," C.C. pointed out when they got to the mansion's entrance.

"I guess so..."

Again the silence turned uncomfortable, and Niles didn't know how to voice he didn't want her to go. What if he didn't see her again? Now that he knew what he knew he couldn't bear not seeing her again. C.C. was thinking more or less the same thing, only the blonde woman did have a plan in mind...

"I'll leave you to attend to your butler duties, God knows how many things a housewife like you has to do! Until tomorrow evening then?" C.C. nonchalantly said, and awaited for her words to sink in. The butler seemed lost for a second, and she had to stifle a laugh when his eyes widened the moment he understood her implication.

"T-tomorrow? But when did-?"

"And here I was thinking that the dense Englishman in this house was Maxwell! Tell you what, Hazel, come by my mansion around 7:00 PM," the blonde took a pen from her purse, took his hand scribbled her address on the back of his hand. "We'll have dinner."

Niles was too stunned to answer. Has she really just invited him over for dinner? To her house? Was he dreaming?! It was too good to be true, yet there she was, standing in front of him with a smug grin on her face as she awaited for his answer. He must have gawked at her for long, because she snapped her fingers before his eyes before exclaiming "Earth to Butler Boy, are you there Butler Boy?"

"Y-yes, Miss Babcock I-"

"Call me C.C.," she interrupted him.

"Come again?"

"I said call me C.C.," the former producer didn't give any further explanations to why she had decided to allow him to call her by her first name, and he didn't bother to ask either -he was far too happy to ponder about the motives behind her actions.

"Alright... C.C.," he smiled when her name dropped from his lips, he had wanted to call her by her name for a while now. "I'll be there."

C.C. smiled to herself and began to extend her hand to him, but she changed her mind in the last second. The blonde leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "Goodbye Butler Boy, tell Maxwell and the family I said hi!" she laughed and walked away, feeling happier than she had been in a long time. She had decided to throw caution to the wind, she didn't want to pretend anymore. From now on she had decided to be more open to what she felt for him, and she certainly was decided to show it. Things would fall in their rightful place in time, and they'd eventually talk about everything, but until then she had decided to be happy.

Niles lingered at the doorway for a few more minutes, one of his hands covering the cheek she had just kissed and his lips curled into the goofiest of smiles.

 **Yes, the sun was finally shining once again.**


	14. Reunited

**Fireworks.**

Fireworks were what Niles was feeling in his heart. It was as though his whole body was electrified, and he felt like climbing to the rooftop and screaming that he had a date with none other than C.C. Babcock... Well, it was a date wasn't it? He wanted to believe so... She was back, and she had welcomed him into her life once again, which was a lot more than he had expected. During the long year of her absence, the butler had prayed to just to see her again, to hear her laugh one last time; but now life was giving him a second chance with her, and he was determined to make it count.

He was still surprised by the fact that she was a mother, but for some strange reason this new motherly facet had made him fall even more in love with her, if that was possible. He had also fallen in love with Amelia -the butler wanted to protect her, to help and see her grow, to see how the little infant became the wonderful woman she was surely going to be. Even now that she was just a baby, she bore an uncanny resemblance to her mother, but both her eyes and hair had come from her father. Her father... how strange was to say that word... even though he knew Amelia's father was out of the picture thanks to the little C.C. had told him at the café, he couldn't ignore the fact C.C. had been with another man. Had she been in love? Had she been abandoned? Had he hurt her? He had too many questions that needed answers, but he was not going to pressure her into giving them. For now, he had a day to prepare himself for their date, and that was enough to keep him in a good mood.

The butler entered the mansion with a wide smile plastered on his face and a dreamy expression on his features. Good God, he was so happy he felt his chest was about to burst! He didn't notice both Fran and Maxwell staring at him until the moment his boss cleared his throat, effectively bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Mr and Mrs Sheffield! What can I help you with?" Niles offered as he walked leisurely towards the kitchen.

"Oh I don't know," Maxwell said in a clearly sarcastic tone, and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked to his childhood friend. "Perhaps some tea, or coffee, or you could bloody tell us where have you been?"

Niles looked between Maxwell and Fran for a couple of tense seconds before he broke into a content, yet slightly mocking smile "As I told you on the phone, I bumped into an old friend. In fact, she is so old that her old neighbourhood was Stonehenge."

"And what the bloody hell do you mean by-" the producer stopped in mid rant as understanding slapped him in the face. In a millisecond, his previous scowl turned into a stunned expression, and Niles had to stifle a laugh when be saw how his jaw hanged loose."Y-you can't be... You met... You saw C.C.?!"

The moment those words left Maxwell's mouth, they produced two diametrically different reactions in both his wife and friend: Fran's mouth and eyes widened as they usually did whenever she was knocked off her socks, while Niles' smile only grew wider.

"Oh yes sir, I bumped into Miss Babcock, and she sends her regards. Actually, she has also invited me over for dinner tomorrow," the butler added and sauntered to the kitchen, leaving two gaping Sheffields behind.

"Did he just say C.C. invited him over for dinner? Or have I lost my mind?" Fran asked as she staggered to the sofa.

"No, you heard correctly..." Maxwell wheezed, taking a seat next to his wife, "C.C. is back and she has invited Niles for dinner."

"Oy, it's a world gone mad!"

Maxwell didn't respond immediately, for he was lost in his own thoughts. A gleeful chuckle escaped the Englishman's lips as he came to grips with what had happened.

"What are ya laughing at?" his wife questioned, feeling even more confused than before.

"Oh, it's nothing darling, it's just the world is not as mad as you think."

* * *

Niles spent the better part of the next day and a half daydreaming about C.C.. Not only he was going to have the opportunity to spend time with the woman he loved, but he'd also get the answers to the questions that had haunted him since she had gone away to the sanatorium. Niles didn't really know where to start, he wanted to know so many things, but he guessed the most pressing question was why she had left. He supposed the answer would entail the knowledge of his role in her breakdown; he wasn't sure what her answer would be, but any answer would be better than not knowing - and if he had really hurt her, he'd try to apologise or make it up to her.

Niles had taken the liberty of baking a nice pie for dessert, and he had also bought an adorable onesie for little Amelia. He figured that maybe he was going a little bit over the top, but oh well! He was in love.

He had about fifteen minutes left until he had to leave for C.C.'s mansion, and he still couldn't decide if he should use the night blue or burgundy tie. He wanted to look his best, and for that he needed everything to be perfect, and that included his choice of tie. He was already wearing his best suit - it was an old Armani Maxwell had gifted him for his 50th birthday, and he had added the gold cuff links C.C. had bought for him in 'Etiqueta Negra'. After much deliberation, he ended up choosing to wear the blue tie -for it matched her eyes- and he finished his grooming by putting on some cologne (an actual cologne, not one of those cheap testers Fran had gifted him on previous birthdays). Niles took the little package for Amelia, and breezed out of his room; he went down the backstairs and made a quick stop at the kitchen in order to get his freshly baked pie, and he got there just in time to stop Sylvia Fine from taking a bite of it.

"Sylvia! Don't you dare to take a bite of that pie!" Niles stumbled across the kitchen and swiftly snatched the delicious-looking dessert from the older woman's hands, "I baked your favourite chocolate cake, why can't you eat that instead of this?" the butler asked giving an indignant huff.

"Because I already ate it! Besides, who is that pie for?"

"It's none of your business Ma," Fran chimed in while she rocked a newborn Eve in her arms. "And you shouldn't eat a pie that has a gigantic note laying over it that says 'DO NOT EAT'."

Sylvia shrugged and traipsed to the sub-zero "Gee, it's just a pie, and I was hungry."

"Now that's a shocker," Niles grumbled under his breath as he tucked the pie into a little basket.

Fran giggled at his comment before she sat down at the kitchen table. "Take out is about to arrive, why don't ya grab something to much on and go watch TV with Yetta?"

After Sylvia had taken 'a few' snacks from the fridge, the two friends were left alone. Fran closely scrutinised her friend, and felt a knowing smile creeping to her lips. Maxwell had hinted to her that Niles cared for C.C. and firstly she had thought the idea was ridiculous; but judging by how happy Niles seemed since his encounter with C.C., and by how neatly he was dressed, she had begun to think her husband might be right.

"So, Scarecrow, you are looking really good tonight!"

"Thank you Mrs Sheffield, I hope Miss Babcock thinks the same way you do." Niles retorted, heading to the back door.

"I am sure she will sweetie, and do tell her to come by the mansion for my birthday next week!"

"I will tell her so, Mrs Sheffield. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner to attend to," The butler exclaimed and stepped out of the mansion. He covered the few blocks between the Sheffield mansion and C.C.'s house in a mere five minutes and, as he got closer, he began to feel butterflies in his stomach. He couldn't help but to feel like a young teenage boy who was about to meet his crush, and even though it was more or less what was about to happen, C.C. was not just a mere crush, she was so much more...

When he got to her beautiful house, he climbed up the stairs to her door, and rang the doorbell with a shaky hand. He was amazed at the size of the mansion, for it was noticeably bigger than the Sheffields -he wasn't surprised though, knowing her, now that she had a child she'd want the most comfortable and spacious house she could get. Only a few seconds went by between him ringing the doorbell and C.C. opening the door, but to him it felt like centuries. He heard the distant scream 'I am coming', and the clacking of her heels against the wooden floor as she got closer to the door.

"Hello, Butler Boy," she greeted him before placing a kiss on his cheek "Do come in."

Niles felt as though his breath had been sucked out of his lungs; she looked simply radiant wearing a black knee-length evening dress. The garment flattered and enhanced her hourglass figure -he noticed her hips were slightly wider now that she had had a child, which contrasted with her minuscule waist. Her hair was loose, and he observed it was considerably longer than before.

"Aren't you coming in, Hazel?" Her voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he saw the knowing smirk on her lips.

"I am sorry Miss... I mean... C.C., my mind wandered."

"Don't worry, it's a common occurrence once you reach a certain age."

The butler quirked an eyebrow at the woman in front of him, and flashed an unimpressed expression "Takes one to know one, Babs."

The former producer had to laugh, she had missed this... But it was nice teasing each other without being aggressive. "Get in before I change my mind about having invited you."

Niles didn't need to be told twice, so he swiftly crossed the threshold and went into her house. He was marvelled by tasteful and spacious living before him, and he quickly spotted little Amelia sleeping soundly over the couch. C.C. had built some kind of pillow fort around her, making it impossible for her to fall to the floor - he thought it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and judging by the innumerable toys scattered around the living room, he was fairly certain C.C. had been playing with her baby shortly before his arrival.

"Sorry about the mess, I kinda lost track of time while playing with her. She's just fallen asleep; I'll take her upstairs so we can have a peaceful dinner."

Niles gave an affirmative nod, and watched the blonde woman gently walk to her baby before she picked her up in her arms. Amelia fussed in her sleep, but her mother quickly calmed her down by humming a soft lullaby. "I'll be back in a second," she mouthed and disappeared up the stairs.

While he awaited for her to come back, the butler decided to help her tidy up the living room, so he began gathering every little toy that was on the floor and piled them over the sofa. Just when he was about to finish his task, his attention was caught by a number of pictures laying on the coffee table, and he quickly realised that if he looked at them in a certain order, he could follow the development of C.C.'s pregnancy: There was a photo of a barely pregnant C.C. in a splendours library, another picture of a slightly more pregnant C.C. decorating the nursery, another photo featured C.C. and Noel, who was embracing his sister while he pointed at her t-shirt that read 'bun in the oven'... But the picture that really caught his attention was one that showed C.C. in a hospital bed -the exhaustion caused by a long delivery evident on the blonde's face- with a newborn Amelia lying over her chest. In her eyes he could only see love, and part of him wished he could have been part of that moment too.

"I see you are enjoying the slideshow of my pregnancy," C.C.'s voice said from behind him, "The little demon has kept me on my toes since she was in my womb."

Niles straightened his posture, and tried to hide the obvious fact she had just startled him "Well, she is your daughter. I wouldn't have expected any less from her."

"You are right, after dwelling in my womb for nine months some of my evilness must have passed on to her... I hope she makes good use of it," the blonde retorted, as she beckoned Niles to follow her into the dining room. "What are you doing now?" C.C. asked when she noticed the Englishman peeking out of her window with a bewildered countenance.

"You just said I was right so, naturally, I had to check if pigs were flying," he said in the gravest way possible, but his serious expression soon broke into a boyish lopsided grin.

"If that were the case, Hazel, you'd be flying up there instead of being standing in my living-room," C.C. shot back, effectively winning this round of witticisms "Now, would you please come with me to the dining room? Take out has just arrived."

"Take out?! Good God, woman! If I had known you were planning on ordering food, I'd have come earlier to cook a homemade meal! In fact, that's what I plan on doing right now. Put that rubbish away, you need a healthy meal for a change," Niles marched into the kitchen, leaving an amused C.C. behind. The man seemed positively upset, and he really was determined to cook her dinner...

"Would you relax, mother hen?" She laughed, following Niles into the kitchen.

"No, I won't relax! You are filling your body with pre made crap or with take out! Now, I may not have children, but after taking care of two pregnant Mrs Sheffields and their offsprings, I know a thing or two about nutrition. You need a balanced diet, specially if you plan on keeping breastfeeding your child," the butler ranted as he inspected her fridge, and he soon grimaced at the lack of nutritional aliments in it. "And judging by your quasi-deserted fridge, I'd better write down a supermarket list with everything you need to buy," Niles took some eggs, mushrooms and beef from the sub zero, and sprawled them over the kitchen counter. C.C. couldn't help but to notice how easily he moved through her kitchen, it almost felt like he belonged there. She didn't even need to tell him where she kept the vast amount of unused pans or any other kitchen utensil, the man in front of her was in his element.

"So, Julia Child, what do you plan on delighting my taste buds with?" she asked, as she reclined against her fridge. From her spot she could easily observe anything Niles did, and she had to stifle a laugh when Niles put on the apron his brother had gifted her as a joke; the piece of cloth had a bright yellow colour, and it had the phrase 'Please just pretend it's good' embroidered on it.

"You'll see, for now relax and let me work."

"I should have known your inner dutiful maid was going to make a fuss over ordering take out!" C.C. sauntered towards the liquor cabinet (which was kept almost empty these days) and took out a bottle of fine wine. She poured it into two cups and took one of them to Niles.

"I may be a fretting maid, but at least my meals are high quality. Oh sorry, I had forgotten that you have a penchant for cheap things," Niles wanted to punch himself in the face as soon as those words had left his mouth. Years ago it would have been the natural thing to say, but how would she take it now? "I...I'm sorry, that was absolutely out of place," he muttered and went back to his cooking.

There were some seconds of tense silence before C.C. erupted in a loud cackle, confusing Niles. "This is too good! You help me tidy up my living room, you cook for me, and now you apologise? I'd have gone away a lot earlier if I had known this was the way you were going to treat me."

Niles released a relieved sigh before going back to smiling. It seemed things had and hadn't changed at the same time; they could still tease the other, but now that there wasn't an underlying desire to hurt the other they could actually enjoy their banter.

"What can I say? An old dog can learn new tricks," the butler shrugged as he poured the mix of eggs and vegetables in the frying pan.

"Yeah, I guess it's true," she said in a pensive manner, a tender smile creeping to her lips.

"So, how was your time in Argentina like?" he asked nonchalantly, effectively hiding the eagerness in his voice.

"I had a fantastic time really, and thanks to a... friend I made there I got to know a lot of interesting places in the city," C.C. knew why the butler had chosen that topic of conversation, she had promised to explain to him how Amelia had come to be, after all. She appreciated he didn't ask about it straight away, though.

"Really? Which ones?"

"Well, he took me to Olivos, and we visited this amazing church called 'Parroquia Jesús en el huerto de los Olivos'; the building is impressive and it's covered by a gigantic bindweed. On its inside there is a gigantic mural of Jesus ascending to heaven that's solely made of mosaics. Afterwards we walked around the 'Quinta presidencial', which is the Argentinean version of the White House. Olivos is a peaceful suburban area, and definitely one of my favourite places."

Niles tried to hide the apprehension he was feeling. He guessed this 'friend' was Amelia's father, and picturing her with him, strolling around Buenos Aires, made him insanely jealous. "Oh... how nice," was the only thing he could offer.

"Yeah... it was kinda nice."

The pair fell into an awkward silence once again, both knowing that by the end of the night he'd know everything about this man. For now, they had decided to put the serious conversation on hold -Niles knew C.C. needed some time, and the blonde was grateful he had given it to her.

"Well, our food is ready," Niles announced as he served their meal on their plates. "Let's head back to the dining room."

The pair soon found themselves sitting at her enormous table, sharing the delicious meal he had prepared. The conversation flowed once again, and neither of them could stop smiling. Both noticed this, and they delighted in observing their happiness mirrored on the other. By the time Niles had brought dessert to the table, the conversation was centred in how much had the Sheffield household changed during the time she was gone.

"Twins?! My God! I am sure you don't have a minute to rest. I can't imagine how traumatic it must have been for you to actually start working!" C.C. mocked as she helped herself to another slice of pie.

"Ha ha, that coming from the woman who took a year long vacation," he retorted in an unimpressed fashion "They are not so terrible, Fran -unlike Sarah- does take care of the babies, and she forces Mr Sheffield to do so too. The only bad part is the constant presence of Sylvia in the house; now that she has turned into a grandma she is trying to impart her motherly knowledge onto Fran."

"Ugh, that sounds awful. I have to thank my lucky stars that my mother doesn't want to have anything to do with me or Amelia," the producer said in a chuckle, which wasn't mirrored by Niles. The butler rose a questioning eyebrow at her, and it seemed his expression had hardened. C.C. released a long sigh as she recalled the last encounter with her mother in her mind. "When my mother discovered how Amelia was conceived she decided I had no place in her life anymore."

Niles couldn't help but to gape at the blonde in front of him. What kind of parent does that? He had known B.B. was cruel, but he had never thought she could reach the point of wanting C.C. out of her life.

"To put it lightly," the former producer continued, her countenance having darkened "she called me a hussy and said I was a disgrace to the Babcock name. But do not fret, Niles, I got back at her by saying I'd rather be a hussy with a baby than an alcoholic old bitch who pays young boys to get some."

Only then did Niles allow himself to smile -he was still furious with the old woman, but he was proud that C.C. had been able to defend herself. "She got what she deserved, congratulations Babs. Although I don't understand how a mother can call her own child a prostitute! It's outrageous."

"That's my mother, Niles, and it's not just her... The majority of New York's high society thinks like her. I had a child out of wedlock and she was the result of a... Amelia was-" C.C. didn't know how to continue; she really wanted to tell him, but it seemed every time she tried to do so the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. She was extremely nervous, and his scrutinising eyes didn't help to soothe her nerves.

"Would you like to dance?" he said as he stood up and offered a hand at her.

"Niles, I am trying to find a way to tell you about-"

"I know. That's why I am asking you for a dance, for I remember that whenever we danced you relaxed."

C.C. was reluctant for a second, but soon she figured it wasn't a bad idea and clasped their hands together. He was right after all, whenever they danced she did relax, and that was want she needed to do in order to tell him about Patrick "I think it might work."

Both adults walked to the living room, and Niles turned on the stereo. He chose to put on some jazz music, and soon enough the sweet voice of Ella Fitzgerald invaded the room. Niles walked back to C.C. and gently slipped an arm around her waist, holding her close to him as they began to sway to the music. After some minutes C.C. had her head resting on his chest, and she could clearly hear the rapid beating of his heart. It was time, she thought, the moment of truth had come at last.

"Niles? Remember this friend I told you about a while ago? Well, I met this guy at the hotel where I was staying. He accidentally dropped a sandal on my head," C.C. could almost feel how a smile played across Niles' lips - he surely was imagining the moment, and her reaction to it. "We started talking since then, and we bumped into each other quite frequently, so we ended up spending time together."

"Ah... so you two... dated?" he asked, sadness tinging his voice ever so lightly.

"No, we didn't date. He was more of a confidant, and we had fun together. He invited me to a 9 de Julio party, and we both had one too many that night, which led us to... Uh... well, you know where," C.C. couldn't help but not too look up at him, for she was afraid of what she'd see in his eyes once she had finished her story. She felt somewhat ashamed, and she wondered if he'd think little of her due to her actions. The producer chose to omit the whole issue about screaming his name during sex; if things went right between them, she'd eventually tell him. "A month and a half later I discovered I was pregnant."

Niles tightened his grip on her, silently thanking her for trusting him with that information. He had long suspected Amelia was the result of a one night stand, but part of him had feared she had fallen in love with another man. It didn't really make any difference to him how her child was conceived, she loved both her and the baby with all his heart. The butler was brought out of his thoughts when he felt his shirt was being damped by something that could only be tears, so he tipped her head up and brushed them off with his thumb. Although he wasn't happy that she was crying, he was truly grateful that she was allowing him to see her in a vulnerable state; this was the ultimate act of trust, for he knew C.C. didn't cry easily, much less in front of others. "What's wrong?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong, I just feel free now that I've told you this. Part of me thought you'd run away."

"I'd never do that, not after having lost you for a year. You are not the only one who has changed, Babcock," Niles murmured and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. They stayed like that for some minutes -with Niles' lips pressed against her forehead and her arms clasped around his neck.

"Do you know what Amelia's father helped me understand?" she said, breaking the silence.

"No, what?"

"I finally understood how much I love you."

* * *

 **AN: So, this was written mostly during 9th of July (Argentina's independence day), so happy delayed 9th of July! This year was also the bicentenary of our separation from Spain (Yes, I am Argentinean, if you hadn't guessed that by now.) so there were big celebrations! Anyway, sorry for the delay, and I hope you like the chapter! As usual, thanks for reading my story and for your wonderful reviews! Until the next chapter!**


	15. Coming Clean

**First and foremost: I am sorry for the update taking so long! You see, I am a teacher and winter vacations have just started and during the last week of school I had a lot of things to do (Including correcting tests. I hate that...) and I couldn't work on this, and when I did start doing so, it took me longer than expected! So, as I have a lot of free time during the next week or so, I'll be free to work on the story! I promise I'll update quickly! Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

* * *

 _"I finally understood I love you."_

There. She had said it... Where had the courage to say those words had come from? She had no idea, but it felt good to finally be honest about what she felt for him. A year ago she'd have never allowed those words to leave her mouth, but now she couldn't bear to hold them any longer; they both had changed, he had admitted so, and for the first time in almost 20 years of knowing each other, they had dropped their guards down.

It was as though the two of them had agreed on a wordless ceasefire, as though they had gotten tired of hiding behind pretexts of faked hatred. When she had invited him for dinner, she had planned on telling him about why she left, and -of course- about Amelia's father; she had never thought she'd confess her feelings to him, though... but oh well, what's done is done... Of course she had expected him to be shocked, but she hadn't expected the silence between them to hang for so long.

Niles had been staring at her with the same bewildered expression for the past minute or so, which had begun to unnerve her. Why was he taking so long to respond? Had she imagined everything between them? By now she was bracing herself for his rejection - any minute from now, he'd laugh at her, tell her he had never cared, that she had invented a fantasy in her head, that-

"Good to know," he suddenly blurted out, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. There was something different in his eyes now, it was like they were happier, like her words had finally taken a burden from his shoulders... "Because ever since you left, I've been cursing myself for not being man enough to tell the woman I love that I loved her too."

Without giving her time to even begin to process his words, the butler cupped her face with his hands and connected their lips in a kiss. "You weren't the only one who needed to change," Niles murmured against her mouth before resuming the kiss.

C.C.'s mind was a chaotic jumble of confusing thoughts. He loved her? He loved her too?! ... Oh my God, he loved her! As his words slowly settled inside her mind, the kiss grew passionate and both pairs of hands began to roam the body of the other, until C.C. linked hers around his neck and Niles' wrapped his arms around her waist. The kiss was very much like the one they shared in the den over three years ago, only it was tenderer, calmer... It wasn't fuelled by lust or anger, but by love and a desire to show the extent of it to each other.

The former producer felt like she was in a dream, and that it would end in any second... but as the kiss progressed and nothing bad happened, all her fears slowly melted away. She could only focus on his soft lips, and the way they felt against hers, she could only breathe his scent, hear the blood thundering in her ears... It was glorious, simply and utterly glorious.

Only God knows for how long they kissed, but when they finally pulled away, the both of them were breathless. The pair locked stares, and a soft smile graced their features. C.C.'s eyes were glistening with barely contained tears, and the moment she allowed them to fall down, he used his thumb to brush them away.

"Don't cry," Niles almost whispered, pulling her into his embrace, "I know I am not the best kisser, but was I bad enough to make you cry?" he teased her.

C.C. let out a little chuckle -which sounded more like a choked sob- "Shut up, Rubbermaid, I am trying to be serious here."

"Sorry, love," he apologised, "Old dog, new tricks."

"That's what I thought," the blonde patted his arm in a condescending manner before she sobered and looked up at him. In his eyes she could see his undisclosed love for her -it seemed to emanate from them, proving without the shadow of a doubt that his confession of love had been true. She needed to hear it again, however "Do you really love me? Since when?" her voice was tinged with an uncharacteristic shyness, something Niles found awfully endearing.

"I don't exactly know, but I realised I loved you shortly after the kiss in the den. I think I loved you even before that, but I was too stubborn to accept it," Niles allowed C.C. to guide them to the sofa, where the two of them sat down, ready to have the conversation both of them had been delaying. The former producer snuggled against his side, and Niles -who almost couldn't believe his luck- wrapped his arms around the woman he loved.

"We have a lot to discuss, but I think I should go first," C.C. spoke softly, taking calming breaths every once in a while, "It's only fair... So, hereby I give you permission to ask anything you want."

"As you wish, love," Niles took a moment to think about what he wanted to ask her, for he had too many doubts that needed answers. There was one, however, that needed to be urgently cleared, for it had been eating him alive for the past year and a half. "Did I... Was it my fault?" he asked, his voice close to cracking.

"What, lover?"

"I mean the fact that you ended at a... at The-"

"The sanatorium?" She cut him off. Niles couldn't hide his surprise of her referring the place by its proper name.

"Well... yes. Was it my fault? Did my pranks push you over the edge? Was it my fault that you ended up there two times?"

C.C. laughed softly, using one of her hands to brush his cheek. "No, not entirely. Niles, I ended up at a sanatorium because I had reached my breaking point, I was lost. I was a highly functioning alcoholic, the man I had thought I loved was getting married, the other important man in my life seemed to be happy for my misery, and I was losing my place in my own business-or that's what I felt when I saw Nanny Fine going into that office. I was a sick woman, and I've been battling deep emotional issues for years, such as feeling unloved and unlovable, feeling alone, being afraid to be myself because I thought others wouldn't like me... Your pranks weren't the main reason I fell over the edge-"

"But they helped," he stated matter-of-factly, his countenance having turned rather ashen.

"It depends on how you look at it. I had fun with you, I liked playing our games too... but what did hurt me, was how cold and cruel you became after your heart attack," C.C. took a moment to rest her head on his chest, so as to hear the even and tranquil beating of his heart. She went even further and dropped a kiss on his shirt-covered chest. "We were getting so close, yet the first thing you did when you woke up was prank me! Afterwards things between us went downhill, and I can't quite understand why the sudden change in you. Why did playful pranks turn into attacks? Were you mad at me for something?"

The butler was on the verge of tears... he had played a part in her breakdown... It didn't matter if it was big or small, he had helped and that was all that mattered. Well, he may have been one of the many reasons she ended up there, but he was determined to make it up to her. "When I had my heart attack, I had a dream. A dream about us, actually...I was a rich producer, and you were in love with me. I guess waking up and facing the reality I was just a butler with no prospects of being more, made me angry; I was angry because I knew you'd never look at the man behind the job, I was angry that you'd always considerer me just a butler, so I snapped and made that prank. Besides, I was afraid of how close we were getting, for I knew that the closer we got, the harder your rejection would be - that's why I pranked you: anger and fear. It seemed like the natural thing to do, but I've regretted it ever since. Soon after the heart attack you began ignoring me, which made me even angrier, and as a result I decided to ... I don't know... prank you with more spite?"

C.C. had listened to his every word with rapt attention. So she had been right, something had bothered him after the heart attack, but it wasn't something she had done on purpose. Talking about the reasons behind their actions was what they needed, what they had been needing to do for years now... She had wanted to protest when he had said she wouldn't have looked at him back then, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised she couldn't fault him there. She had spent years diminishing him because of his lower station in life, so the notion she wouldn't consider him as a suitable partner wasn't crazy at all. The fact the two of them had loved each other for years now, but were too proud to admit it, felt like some cosmic joke -the man in front of her had feared their newly found closeness due to the possibility of rejection, whilst she had ignored her feelings for the butler due to stupid prejudices her mother had inculcated since a young age. Now, she hadn't realised she had become colder towards him back then, for it wasn't intentional; she had been hurt due to his actions, and as a result she had wanted to distance herself from him as much as possible. It truly was almost comical, they had lost valuable time , time that would never come back, just because they had been too proud to talk things out! Well, thank God for second opportunities!

The blonde released a long sigh before placing yet another kiss on his chest, "Alright, I understand you, and you must know I don't blame you either. We had a routine, a dynamic we had built over the course of fifteen years. You insulted me, I insulted you back... We had wordlessly agreed not to discuss feelings or to show mercy towards the other, it wasn't just you."

"But I should have known better... You weren't ok, I should have toned down my pranks, I should have tried-" he was silenced by C.C., who had placed her long finger over his lips.

"What's done is done. My point it: We both were aggressive towards each other, and we both were cowards who didn't face our feelings. Period. The important thing is we are doing that now, we are finally talking, let's not dwell in the past, ok?"

Niles hesitated, clearly still feeling uneasy due to his roll in her breakdown, but he finally accepted her words. She was right, they couldn't dwell in the past if they wanted to have -hopefully- a future together. Having settled that issue, Niles moved on to his second question. "Why did you leave? What were you running from?"

"Many things really, but mostly I think I was running from myself."

Well, he wasn't expecting that... He looked down at her, silently requesting clarification.

"As I told you before, I was an alcoholic, I felt I had lost the man who could make me happy... and I needed to heal. I needed to run away from my problems for a while so as to understand a lot of things about myself: I needed to discover who I was, what I wanted, what I really felt for Maxwell-"

"And what do you feel for him now?" Niles couldn't help the slight trembling in his voice, for even though she had said she loved him, he still needed to understand what Maxwell had meant to her. If he had truly loved him before her breakdown, why had she pinned after his boss?

"I think I was obsessed... Maxwell was, in a way, the embodiment of what I was taught to look in a man: he was rich, belonged to the right station, had a good job, was a family man, etc, etc. Women like me are supposed to marry men like Maxwell, and somehow I had convinced myself he was the only one who could make me happy. Granted, he is cute and I did have a crush on him, but deep down I knew he wasn't for me. Nanny Fine's arrival only made official what I already knew: Maxwell would never love me, which meant I'd never be happy. I was fighting with the unwanted feelings for you back then too, and it all became too much. The last straw was Nanny Fine getting into the office, it was then when I felt like I was... nothing. I had lost my two obsessions: My job and Maxwell. I left because I needed to understand who I was, and I finally did. I finally realised happiness doesn't come from the acceptance of my social peers or from finding the 'proper' husband. Amelia is my happiness now, and being with the man I truly love makes me happy too! Trust me, it wasn't easy, but I think I finally found myself."

After C.C. had said this, the couple fell in a comfortable silence. It was all said now... Yes, she had needed to go away, but it had al worked out in the end, hadn't it? They had put their guards down, and they had gathered the courage to face their feelings for the other... In a sense, this was a new beginning, and they couldn't wait to see where it would take them.

They didn't know for how long they dozed by of by the fire, and by the time they were awoken by Amelia's cries, they found themselves entwined in each other's arms.

"Crap, she must be hungry," the producer muttered to herself as she hopped off the sofa.

"Do you want me to go home? It's late and I understand you must attend to her." Niles offered, although he didn't really want to go back to the mansion. He didn't want to leave her just yet, he was far too happy to go back to his empty bed.

C.C. -who was already heading for the stairs- shook her head and beckoned for him to follow her. "No need, Hazel. You can join me in the nursery, if you want."

"Right behind you, Mama Babs."

"Mama Babs? That's a new one..." she thought aloud, her amusement evident in her voice.

"Don't you like it?"

"I do, very much in fact."

Once inside the nursery, Nile had to appreciate the hard work his new partner had put in it. The room was painted in a soft lilac colour, whilst the furniture, drapes and carpet were white. Amelia's crib was located on the far right corner of the room, and right next to it there was a rocking chair in which C.C. had already sat down.

"I knew it, she was hungry," the former producer chuckled, swaying the rocking chair.

Niles glanced at his wristwatch -discreetly giving her some privacy to get the baby latched on- and his eyes widened. It was 2 am! Good God time had really flown by... "Does she do this every night?"

"Depends on her mood really... She usually asks for a feeding between 2 am and 4 am."

Poor woman, the butler thought, it seemed sleep was a luxury she couldn't afford these days. If taking care of a baby was hard for a couple, he couldn't imagine how hard it was for a single parent. The fact he was keeping her company in the wee hours of the morning was quite bizarre, though. They almost looked like a married couple, taking care of their young infant daughter... No. He couldn't allow himself to think those things, he was just her partner, not the girl's father. If she wanted him to take that place, then he'd gladly do it, but he wouldn't get ahead of himself.

"You are awfully quiet, Butler Boy."

"Hm? Oh... yes, I am sorry. I just didn't know if... well, I didn't want to disturb you." he mumbled, straightening his posture.

"That's sweet of you, but I can talk while feeding her too, you know."

"One never knows, I know multitasking gets harder with age," he shot at her, a cheeky smile creeping to his lips.

"Wow, that was weak. If I weren't busy with Amelia, I'd get back at you."

"Told you multitasking was harder for older people, you just proved my point."

C.C. grimaced for a second, before flashing her own half-smile at her partner "Is that why it takes you so long to complete your tasks at the mansion? Or are you just lazy?"

"I happen to be extremely good at what I do, thank you very much," the butler retorted as C.C. handed him the baby so she could straighten her clothes. Almost instinctively, Niles placed the baby on his shoulder and walked her up and down while gently patting her back. C.C. couldn't hide her amusement, for the man had kindly taken the task of burping her daughter, giving her some time to relax. But the surprises didn't end there, for once Amelia had been burped, he walked back to her crib and tucked her in.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered, brushing his fingers against Amelia's tuff of golden hair. "Please do allow your mother to sleep tonight, if not she gets cranky, and when that happens she barks at every poor soul that crosses her way."

"Hey, I do not bark!" the blonde protested.

"Alright, she just growls."

Niles received a playful smack on the back of his head as a response from the amused mother, and after C.C. had checked on Amelia one last time, the pair left the nursery.

"Where are you going?" C.C. asked when she noticed Niles heading downstairs.

"Well, it's 2:30 in the morning, I suppose I should let you sleep and-"

"Stay," she pleaded, tugging at his arm. "Please, stay with me tonight."

Well, that was a curveball... Of all the crazy things that could have happened during their date, he'd have never imagined he'd be asked to stay the night. Not that he didn't like the idea -quite the opposite, in fact- but it still surprised him. He knew she wasn't asking him to sleep with her, she only needed comfort, one that only he could give her.

"Alright, I'll stay with you," he conceded, pulling her into his embrace.

"Thank you... I know it must sound ridiculous, but after not seeing you for so long I need you here with me."

"It's not ridiculous at all, love, I feel the same way."

The couple walked into her room hand in hand, silently thanking every deity who was listening for the opportunity to spend time with their significant other. After so much hopelessness, so much pain and loneliness... they were finally together.

After C.C. had gotten into her pyjamas and Niles had gotten rid of his suit, they climbed into bed together; C.C. snuggled against his side and -just like they had done at the sofa- rested her head just over his chest, whilst Niles wrapped his arms around her.

"Goodnight, love," he murmured as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Goodnight, lover."


	16. Someday I Will Return

**AN: Sooo I made it! You have no idea how hard writing this chapter was** **! Terrible case of writers block. I should thank TheCrownedLioness who helped me overcome the aforementioned block and finish this chapter. From now on things will go smoothly :) I must tell you we are not that far along from the end, but we still have some chapters to go! Anyway, sorry for the delay and enjoy! I usually don't do this, but just for you to know, the oneshot I uploaded yesterday was written over three** **months ago, and I only uploaded it for you to know I am still here :P**

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There it was. The Sheffield mansion looked exactly the same as when she had last seen it; the imposing iron door was the last thing that separated her from her old life. She stood before it, memories of past times slowly surfacing in her mind, and brushed her fingers against the doorknob. It was almost unreal, being standing in front of the place she had so desperately tried to escape from... it was as though time hadn't moved in that mansion, as though nothing had changed, while the life of the woman who was stood before the door had given a 180 degree turn.

"Are you ready?" Niles asked the tall blonde as he delved into his pocket for the key, interrupting her musings.

C.C. hesitated, and held Amelia closer to her. Was she really ready? It had been over a year since the last time she had seen the Sheffields, what would they think of her having a daughter? Admitting to Niles that Amelia had been a surprise baby had been hard enough, and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to explain to her former business associate how she had gotten pregnant. Of course the reunion also entailed explaining the reasons behind her departure, something she was not in the mood for.

But... she had to do it. There was no sense in hiding from them any longer, and the faster she told them her story, the faster they could move on.

"Ready," C.C. answered in a breathy voice as she gave him way to unlock the door.

The moment the door was finally open, the former producer prowled into the mansion. As she ventured into her old workplace, the blonde noticed the little changes around her -there were numerous pictures of the two newest Sheffields, of Nanny Fine and Maxwell's first anniversary, of Maggie's wedding... C.C. soon felt her head was swimming, and her heart was galloping against her chest. What was she doing there? They had clearly moved on, she was not ready, she had to...

"It's going to be alright, love," came his soothing voice from behind her. The butler had noticed her increasing anxiousness, and gently guided her into the kitchen, where he offered her a glass of water and rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

The Sheffields weren't home, it seemed. The house was unnaturally quiet, and judging by the time, they probably were out having breakfast. In a sense it was better for them to be out and about, because it gave C.C. a little more time to adjust to her old surroundings. Amelia, who was still being held in her mother's arms, looked around in awe and sported a wide smile on her chubby face.

"Where are the Sheffields?" C.C. asked, sitting on one of the kitchen stools.

"They probably went out for breakfast, they usually do so on Sundays after Maxwell and the kids go to church. Usually they make a stop at Loheman's after breakfast, but I trust they'll be back in any minute now."

As if on cue, they couple heard the front door being opened and soon enough, a nasal voice reached their ears. Niles and C.C. exchanged a look of silent understanding, and the butler walked out of the kitchen to receive the family. They had agreed not to tell them about C.C.'s visit, so as to enhance the shock her sudden visit would surely cause in her old friends. Both Amelia and her mother stayed behind, but the blonde was soon standing behind the swinging door, awaiting for his signal to reveal her presence.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Sheffield, I trust you had a pleasant breakfast?" Niles politely inquired, hanging Fran's coat inside the closet.

"Oh yeah we did!" Fran piped up, rubbing her stomach. "We went to the Cheesecake Factory! Lemme tell ya Scarecrow, if it weren't because I still have to drop some pounds I gained during my pregnancy, I would have had more than just one serving of cake. And what about you? Did you have breakfast with Miss Babcock?"

"As a matter of fact I did. I went by her mansion and we had waffles. Hence my absence this morning," the butler retorted, smiling inwardly. He had actually spent the night at C.C.'s, just like he had been doing for the past five weeks. He had made a habit of dropping by her house once his shift was over, cooking her dinner and then staying with her. He had tried to be secretive about his nightly escapades, for he didn't want to have to answer any uncomfortable questions.

Niles not only had started taking care of the blonde woman, but he had also started helping her with the baby. He had offered to take turns to attend to Amelia at night, so many times it had been him who had changed the little infant in the wee hours of the morning. If the girl needed a feeding, he gently awoke his partner, and once the baby had been fed, he allowed her to go back to sleep while he burped Amelia.

Actually being able to rest had done wonders for C.C.; she no longer had bags under her eyes, she suffered from less headaches and her moods had definitely improved. Niles was more than happy to help her with the child, too, and as the days went past, he slowly bonded with her daughter. Amelia smiled every time she saw him, and there had been some times when only he had been able to calm an upset Amelia. Even though he had taken care of babies before, this girl was special -not only it was C.C.'s daughter, but he already loved the tiny creature as if she were his very own. He hadn't voiced his feelings to his partner, though, but the woman seemed more than happy that Amelia had such a close relationship with him.

Fran pulled a face and stared at the butler in an unimpressed fashion. She was well aware he had been spending the nights at C.C.'s for the past month or so, but both her and her husband had chosen to feign ignorance of this. They couldn't quite understand why C.C. still hadn't come by the mansion, but they respected the couple's privacy and decided to wait until they were ready to come clean.

"Sure thing, Scarecrow... Do tell me, when is C.C. going to grace us with her presence? She didn't even come to my birthday!" Fran whined.

Originally, C.C. had planned to make her grand reappearance on Fran's birthday, but Amelia had been sick, and the worried mother had refused to leave her side. Niles had been a great support during Amelia's convalescence, both because he knew how to take care of a sick infant, and because he had prevented C.C. from crumbling down. The former producer had been a ball of nerves during Amelia's illness, and his comforting words had helped her endure her first experience of having a sick child. The baby had gotten better in no time, but it had been quite a test for the new mother.

Going back to the question Fran had asked, the butler flashed a lopsided grin and squared his shoulders. The moment had come...

"Actually, Mrs Sheffield, the wicked witch of the Upper East Side has come to our home today."

Immediately, the swinging door was pushed open and C.C. stepped out of the kitchen, a radiant smile playing across her lips.

"Hello, Nanny Fine, Maxwell. Long time no see!" the blonde greeted her friends, while Amelia squirmed and gurgled in her arms, clearly amused by meeting new people.

And speaking of the two older Sheffields, they were trying to decide what would the proper reaction to seeing C.C. for the first time in a year be. Of course the first thing that had caught their attention had been the baby, for the sight of the tall ex-producer holding a child was a tad disconcerting, but they did also notice how different she looked; she seemed happier, healthier... at peace. They remembered a broken woman, while the one who stood before them looked radiant.

"Well, aren't you going to say hi?" C.C. joked.

Not surprisingly, the first one to snap out of her contemplative state was the former Nanny, who enthusiastically hugged her husband's former associate.

"Miss Babcock! Oh my God, Niles didn't tell us that you were coming!" the nanny nudged her husband, who cleared his throat and proceeded to envelop the blonde in a hug.

"Uhm... yeah... we are delighted to see you again," the British producer wrung his hands together, a clear sign of his distress. He didn't have a clue of what to ask or say to his friend; part of him wanted to ask why she had left, if she was better, where she had been... but it somehow felt wrong. Maxwell knew he had a penchant for being quite thoughtless or unobservant, but he felt C.C. wouldn't appreciate him bringing up those issues. The one question that he felt he could ask, however, was the one that was most pressing in his mind. "And who might this pretty young lady be?" he gestured at the baby with his hand as he smiled down at her.

"Yeah, who is this precious little thing?" Fran echoed her husband's question, using her finger to tickle Amelia's tummy. "Is she your niece?"

Niles cringed as soon as he heard Fran's assumption, and knew that C.C. was probably trying to suppress the urge to smack the former nanny by the scowl she was sporting.

"Her name is Amelia," the blonde spoke in a clipped voice, "And she is my daughter, Nanny Fine."

"Oh what a pretty... WHAT?!" the former nanny yelled, "She is your what?!"

C.C. -whose shoulders were already being draped by Niles arm- placed a small kiss on Amelia's forehead and smiled at the clearly appalled couple. "She is my daughter. She turned four months and a half yesterday."

What followed was a tense and unpleasant silence. Neither Fran or Max knew what to say, so they just settled for staring between the couple and the baby, awestruck. To C.C.'s credit, she was keeping quite calm and collected, and if she was apprehensive (which she was) her face didn't show it. Niles, however, knew the former producer too well to fall for her seemingly calmed demeanour, so he pulled her to him and held her close, using one of his hands to stroke Amelia's little head.

"D-daughter?!" Fran spluttered, "B-but... but how... and who's the father? Did you get married?"

If looks could kill, the cheerful brunette would have surely dropped dead in that instant. Both Niles and Maxwell quickly perceive the mortal danger Fran was in, so the two men enveloped their respective women in a hug, and gently moved them away from each other.

"Uh... why don't we go to the living room so we can talk?" Maxwell offered, eyeing C.C. warily. The blonde's scowl had deepened, and he wanted to get his wife far away from danger as soon as possible.

"Yes, I concur, sir. We better-"

"Not so fast you two," C.C. interjected, refusing to move from the place where she was standing. She handed the baby to Niles and stalked towards Fran, her cold blue eyes fixed in the brunette's brown ones. "Now you listen to me, Nanny Fine:'who is the father is not important, and no, I wasn't married or in a relationship when Amelia was conceived. I am going to say this once, and only once: If I ever hear you questioning my decisions, or speaking badly about how Amelia came to be, I assure you it will be the last thing you'll ever do. Am I clear?" by now C.C. was standing inches away from Fran, who had turned rather pale. The former nanny had never seen C.C. look so menacing before, although part of her wasn't surprised that she turned into a deadly creature when she had to defend her child.

Fran nodded, quickly burrowing into her husband's embrace. "Y-yes, Miss Babcock," she stuttered, "I never meant to upset or insult you."

C.C. squared her shoulders and reached for Amelia before giving a triumphant smile. "Good. Now, shall we move into the living room? I have a lot to tell you."

No one dared to contradict the fiery blonde, and both Maxwell and Fran scurried away into the adjacent room. Niles, however, stayed behind. Although he knew Fran's questions had been a bit out of place, he was certain she hadn't meant to insult the blonde, but he had learnt that C.C. was especially sensitive about Amelia's conception. She was afraid that the world would be cruel with her child just because she had been an unplanned baby and because she had no father, so she was prone to overreacting when someone asked her about it with such carelessness as Fran had. Even though she didn't say it aloud, C.C. was fiercely protective of her daughter, and wanted to shield her from the cruel and judgemental New York elite.

"She didn't mean it, love," he said in a soft voice, enveloping both C.C. and Amelia in a tight hug. The baby seemed to like the proximity to Niles, because she fussed in her mother's arms and reached out for the butler, squealing in delight. Niles, who couldn't help but smile down at the little girl, took her in his arms, and cradled her against his chest.

"I know she didn't," C.C. huffed, pacing the hallway. "But I just... what will happen when people do mean it? What will happen when Amelia is older and she starts hearing that... that I... that she is less because..." her words trailed off, and she had to suppress the urge to cry. It wasn't that she cared about what society thought, but she cared about the potential hurt that it could cause both her and Amelia.

"C.C., look at me," he asked, tucking two fingers under her chin and pushing it upwards. "We've been through this before: we will face it together. Amelia has a strong mother, who will surely teach her how to defend herself and -most of all- how to love herself. Society doesn't define her worth, love, and if she is indeed hurt, then she'll have a family that will console her and help her when she is at need. Don't worry too much about it, love."

The blonde woman smiled weakly, and pecked his lips. "You know, you can be quite reasonable when you want to."

"I am always reasonable, the fact that your twisted mind often ignores my fantastic advice is not my fault."

C.C. rolled her eyes as she headed to the living room, "Get off your high horse, lysol lips." she called over her shoulder. Niles followed his partner into the living room, a cheeky smile playing across his lips. Teasing each other without actually wanting to hurt the other was a nice change of pace.

Once the two couples were settled on the sofa, C.C. took a deep breath and addressed both of his friends. "I know you have questions, and I know I have a lot to explain, but please let me speak before you bombard me with your doubts," the blonde made a pause and looked between his former associate and his wife, who nodded in agreement. "The first thing you need to understand is that when I left, I left because I needed to distance myself from my old life. I needed to understand what I wanted and who I was, and going back to my old life wasn't going to allow me to do so. I won't go into details about my breakdown or my stay in Argentina, but what you must know is that I don't blame either of you for what happened. I had many problems that I needed to solve on my own. Having cleared that up, I now give you carte blanche for you to ask me whatever you want."

Niles squeezed her thigh, silently congratulating her for her words. He knew it wasn't easy for C.C. to talk about her breakdown or about her stay at The Place, but she was trying, and that's what mattered.

Fran rose her hand, and looked pleadingly at the blonde. The sight was almost comical, it was as though the brunette felt she was at school. After C.C. gestured at her to speak, the former nanny took a deep breath and shot her first question. "Miss Babcock, firstly I want to make clear that even if we were at odds, I never wanted you to be institutionalised. If any of my actions helped in you ending up at The Place, then I am truly sorry," the brunette scooted over to C.C., and took her hand in hers. "Now, going to the crux of the matter... How did you get pregnant? Don't get me wrong, I am extremely happy for you, but it's just... I..."

"You want to understand?" the blonde interrupted her, "It's only natural... Amelia was... an unplanned surprise. I didn't know how to contact her father, but I decided to have her either way."

The producer chose not to give more details about Amelia's conception, but now Max and Fran understood why the producer was so sensitive about it. The baby had been the result of a one night stand, and it was probably hard for her to talk about it. They had to admit she had been extremely brave to decide to be a single mother, and from the little they had seen, she appeared to be an excellent one. Fran placed a comforting hand on C.C.'s shoulder, and gave a her a soft smile.

"Thank you," the former nanny started, "For telling us about her, I mean."

Little by little, the conversation flowed, and as C.C. told her story, she felt a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had been wanting to tell her friends about what had been going on with her for a while now, but fear hadn't allowed her to do so. As she talked she felt she had finally beaten her last demon, and she finally felt at home. Well, of course the feeling of home had been given to her by Niles, but ending her isolation from her friends added to it.

As morning turned into noon, the conversation evolved until it was centred in parenthood, pregnancies and babies. Both Fran and C.C. were more than happy to share their experiences during their pregnancies, and C.C. gave Fran some useful advice to lose the weight she had gained with her pregnancy. It was bizarre, the former producer thought, having a pleasant conversation in the Sheffield's living room after spending a year away from the mansion. Maxwell wanted to make her feel welcome, and was glad to see his friend so happy. Of course the news that she was a mother had been shocking (to say the least), but the more he observed her with her daughter, the more he realised just how much motherhood suited her. It was as though she had softened, and that she now didn't fear to openly express her emotions... What Maxwell did also notice, was how involved Niles seemed to be in Amelia's life. If one didn't know the baby wasn't his daughter, one could easily assume he was her father. The thought warmed the producer's heart; he knew his friend had lost hope of forming his own family years ago, but perhaps this could be his chance to do so... He supposed it was a matter of time, but he couldn't wait to see how things progressed between his two closest friends.

Going back to the blonde, Maxwell had been wanting to ask C.C. a very important question for some months, and now seemed the appropriate time to do so. Maxwell cleared his throat, and rose to his feet.

"C.C., would you mind if I have a word with you in my office?" he asked, wringing his hands in an attempt to soothe his nerves. "In private, I mean."

C.C. rose a questioning eyebrow at him, but she also hopped off of the sofa where she had been seated and stood next to him. "Sure thing, Maxwell. Shall we go to the office?"

"That would be wonderful."

Both producer and blonde, sauntered to the office, leaving two curious yentas behind.

"Intercom?" Fran offered, playing with Amelia, who was comfortably snuggled in her arms.

"Definitely."


	17. Wonderful Tonight

**AN: Hey there! Here goes another chapter! I hope you enjoy it and I'd truly love to get your reviews, you have no idea how much your feedback helps (not to mention it makes me really happy!). So, without any further ado, I leave you to chapter 17...**

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 _ **Chapter 17**_

 _ **Wonderful Tonight**_

Maxwell's office had changed little over the year and a half she had been gone. There were slight changes here and there, but everything had maintained a certain degree of normality. The only noticeable change, however, was that the green leather sofa was gone... C.C. couldn't exactly remember when they had bought that sofa, but it had been her 'office' for the greater part of her years as Maxwell's employee. The office felt strangely empty without the seat, and -in some way- it made her feel she had been forgotten; the loveseat had always been 'hers', so now that it was gone, C.C. couldn't help but to feel they had moved on. In its place now there were two leather armchairs and a small coffee table; Maxwell had taken a seat on one of them, and C.C. meekly sat herself on the other armchair. On the coffee table there was small tray laden with two empty cups and a kettle; Maxwell poured a cup of tea for each of them, and the two producers silently prepared their tea -they were bating around the bush, that was certain, but it didn't surprise them either... neither of them had been straightforward with the other before, why should it be any different now? Well, if she answered honestly, things had already changed between them when she left... hence the pending conversation they were about to engage in.

"So, uh... you changed the decor?" C.C. started, stirring her tea as she dropped two spoonfuls of sugar in it.

Maxwell -who tried to appear engrossed in his cup of tea in order to avoid making eye contact with his former associate- nodded, a nervous smile playing across his lips. "Yes, I did."

C.C. rolled her eyes at his laconic answer. Was the whole conversation going to be like that? And what could possibly be so important for them to have to have it in the office? It was seldom that they shared deep conversations... or well... it was seldom that they shared conversations that didn't have to do with business. Looking back, it was almost ironic, she had shared more deep and insightful conversations with Niles -who had supposedly been her declared nemesis- than with the man she had once claimed to love...

"So, uhm, C.C..." Maxwell stuttered, rubbing his free hand against his thigh; the producer's body was visibly taut, as though he was bracing himself for her answer. "I am sure you are wondering why I asked you for a word in private..." Max made a pause and -for the first time since they had sat down- looked up at the seemingly calm blonde. The Englishman, however, detected a hidden softness behind her icy light-blue eyes; he knew this new tenderness was a result of motherhood, so he was grateful that Amelia had turned the previously aloof socialite into a more approachable person. "Well, I wanted to talk about two things: the first and most important, is actually a question; why did you hide your pregnancy from us? I know I haven't been the most attentive friend, but I thought you trusted me... hence you telling me you were going away."

Although the question had certainly caught her unaware, it was the hurt in his voice what disconcerted her the most. Never in sixteen years of knowing Maxwell had he showed such emotion, nor shared so much... his words were few and simple, but were full of meaning and unspoken feelings. She had supposed (and been partially right) that the Sheffields would be upset by her not telling them about Amelia, but she had never thought they'd be hurt -that's how she had imagined Niles would feel like... But it seemed she had underestimated her former associate; she didn't really have a prepared answer for his question, and the prospect if having a heart-to-heart with Max was strangely unsettling... The blonde wrung her hands together as she casted her eyes to the cup of lukewarm tea she was nursing on her lap. Finding the appropriate words to say was proving to be an annoyingly difficult task; she had always been a smart and highly eloquent woman (with a talent for sweet-talking and wheedling backers into investing in their plays), but it seemed that when it came to discussing her feelings or emotions, she turned into an inarticulate individual.

"Maxwell, I was afraid," she started, stirring her tea. "When I found out about Amelia I was still healing and trying to change my toxic habits and-"

"I know that, C.C.. I knew it would take time for you to get over your stay at The Place," he stated in a firm voice, and scooped closer to her. "But why did you hide once you were back? We could have helped you... you know we'd have been there for you, just like you were there for me when Sarah passed away."

C.C. heaved a sigh, finally dropping the pretence of preparing her tea. "But that's what you don't seem to understand, Maxwell! I didn't know it!" As soon as she had said those words she could see the hurt in his eyes, so she relented and decided to soften the blow. "Part of me knew I could trust you, but the possibility of you not accepting my situation was paralysing! I already had to deal with being looked down upon by New York's high society, my mother and sister... I was -still am- worried, Maxwell, worried about how my daughter is going to be treated by her peers, and part of me feels it is my fault. I don't know what went through my head when I decided not to tell anyone but my father... I guess the pregnancy hormones messed a bit with me, and fear..." C.C. trailed off, as her eyes momentarily drifted to the afternoon sun hiding behind the horizon; the last threads of light painting the sky in various tones of pink, orange and red. She could already spot the first sequin-silver stars winking at her and the magnificent display of natural beauty before her kindled a sense of calmness in her. The short distraction helped her regain some confidence to continue her speech, so -after taking a deep breath- her eyes traveled back to Maxwell. "I was going to come back, eventually. I guess it took me up to now to find the courage to do so."

Maxwell nodded as understanding dawned upon him; her fears made sense now, he knew how New York's high-society would react to someone as C.C. having a baby out of wedlock... "I understand, C.C.. Hopefully -now that you know how we feel- you'll be back in our lives. And that actually brings me to the second thing I wanted to discuss," Maxwell rose to his feet and ambled to his desk. He rummaged through his drawers until he found a little stack of papers, which he handed to the blonde woman. The Englishman rocked on his heels nervously as his former associate riffled through the document he had given her, and eventually flashed a shy smile when her eyes widened.

"Y-you want to offer me-"

"A full partnership, yes," Maxwell completed, retaking his seat. "Listen, C.C., although I've been doing well, the company is just not the same without you. You were not the only one who made some thinking this past year and a half. I realised I owed you this partnership, for Sheffield Productions wouldn't be as successful as it is if it weren't for you. I made a mistake by not acknowledging your value before, both for the company and for our family, and I'm determined to correct that. So, what do you say?"

C.C. couldn't respond immediately, for she was still too stunned by what he had proposed to her. For years she had desired a full partnership, and probably if he had asked this same question before her stay at The Place, she'd have already said yes, but now... did she want it? If she was being honest, she had been wanting to go back to work for months now, she just wasn't meant to be a stay at home mother. The first months after Amelia was born, however, she had discarded that possibility because she didn't want to leave her daughter with a nanny while she spent her day at the office; but now it wasn't totally impossible anymore, she'd be working at the Sheffield mansion so she'd probably be able to take Amelia with her, not to mention that Niles would be around to help her too... Going back to work -however- entailed going back to society, something that was surely going to be quite hard for her. She was certain that her sudden reappearance would surely arise unwanted gossip, and probably Amelia's existence would be discovered soon enough, but she knew she couldn't hide her forever, and she didn't want to do it either. Moreover, she wanted to work, needed to work, not doing so would eventually drive her insane! She had to think this over thoroughly before accepting it, though.

Having reached a decision, the socialite sacked the documents inside her purse and addressed Maxwell. "I am truly thankful for your offer, Maxwell. Would you mind if I think about it before answering? I... I have to-"

"You don't need to explain yourself, C.C.. Of course you can take your time, I didn't expect you to answer immediately."

C.C. smiled gratefully at the British producer as they rose to their feet in unison. "Thank you, Maxwell. What do you say if we get back to our significant others?"

Her friend eyed her fondly before draping an arm around her shoulders. "I am glad you and Niles are finally together, you know? I must admit that at first I thought you just lusted after each other, but after seeing how miserable he was when you were in Argentina, and how happy you both are now that you are back, it's obvious that this thing between you two is deep."

"He was miserable?" she asked, a devious smile creeping to her lips.

"Oh, positively! He tried to hide it, but I could see right through him. Just between us, your father told me he went to your old penthouse every day just to clean it up," Maxwell shared a knowing smirk with his former (and hopefully soon to be) partner; he was fairly certain Niles was probably listening to their conversation through the intercom (which he was) at that moment, and would probably be ashamed of what he had just told C.C. (and that's exact how Niles felt).

"Oh really?" the blonde asked, mirth evident in her voice. "Ah, I am never going to let him live that down."

The pair of friends guffawed as they walked back to the living room. Just before they reached it, however, Maxwell deviated their course and headed for the library. The blonde arched a questioning eyebrow, but her response was a look that clearly said "you'll understand soon enough." as Maxwell opened the tall door, and flicked the lights on. Immediately, a gasp escaped C.C.'s lips as she looked around what had once been the library; the room had been turned into a second office. The blonde ventured inside the spacious room, and appreciated the tasteful decor; the walls were painted in a faint peachy colour and were decorated with posters and signs from the numerous plays they had produced. She smiled when she spotted a familiar green leather sofa laying just by the enormous mahogany desk.

"I did also think that, if you agree to be my partner, you should have your own office," the Englishman called from the doorway.

C.C. nodded, walking to the door, so they could finally head back to the living room. The blonde wasn't a woman who was easily moved, but her friend's thoughtful gesture had truly touched her. Before she had ran away to Argentina, C.C. had felt her work was unappreciated by Maxwell, so now that he was finally showing some gratitude towards her and admitting that she had done a lot for the company, was a wonderful change.

* * *

"There, there, sweetheart. Mommy will come in a second," Niles tried to calm an upset Amelia while C.C. finished getting ready for bed. The baby was most definitely hungry, and he couldn't help in that department. The butler walked up and down with the baby in his arms, rocking her little body as he hummed a lullaby; his voice was somewhat calming, but Amelia was still fussing and mewing.

"Is she giving you trouble, Hazel?" C.C. asked as she walked into the nursery, a mocking smile on her features.

"Well, she is your daughter, I am sure making my life painfully difficult is in her genes," Niles retorted, handing her the baby once she had seated herself on the rocking chair by Amelia's crib.

"Now that's a blatant lie," C.C. pointed out as she lowered her pyjama top. "Without me your life is meaningless."

"That's preposterous! Where did you get that ridiculous idea from?"

"Well, a little bird told me how odd you acted while I was gone... It was nice of you to clean my old penthouse for free, by the way!"

Niles' face paled, suddenly remembering what his childhood friend had told C.C.. He hadn't expected her to find about that... he had been desperate, and cleaning up her apartment had helped him cope with her absence, hence why he didn't want her to know. "Uh... well... you..."

C.C.'s smirk widened when she saw the light blush on his cheeks. "My, my! It's not everyday the witty butler is at loss of words!"

Niles heaved a sigh of annoyance before he sat himself on the chair beside C.C.'s. "If I admit defeat, will you agree not to mention what Max told you ever again?"

"Oh, I don't know... It's too good... you'll have to try harder."

"Alright, if I admit defeat and give you a massage will you forget about it?" he offered, lacing their hands together. He had never told C.C., but he loved that moment of the day; there was something extremely relaxing and fulfilling about sitting together in Amelia's room when the day was over, it was as though nothing existed but them. In those evenings, he felt he had finally formed a family...

"I want a massage every night for the following two weeks and you to admit defeat, or no deal," the blonde counter offered, closing her eyes.

"Ok, deal."

As silence enveloped them like an invisible cocoon, Niles' thoughts slowly drifted to the woman currently sitting by his side. He glanced at her, smiling warmly when he saw the content expression she wore as she nursed her baby; her eyes were closed, and her head was resting against the back of the chair, slightly tilted in his direction. Amelia lay over her chest, and she too had her eyes closed, surely enjoying the proximity to her mother. He noticed just how much they looked alike, he could notice it even if Amelia was just an infant... There was no doubt in his mind that he loved both girls with every fibre of his being, and he was tremendously grateful for C.C. having allowed him to be part of their lives.

Not being able to resist himself, he brushed his finger against her knuckles, which caused her tranquil smile to widen.

"So," she suddenly spoke, still not opening her eyes. "What do you think of Maxwell offering me a full partnership?"

Niles didn't try to deny he had eavesdropped on her conversation in the office, she knew him far too well to believe that lie. He was thrilled about Maxwell finally recognising C.C.'s worth to the company, but he wasn't sure how he should react to C.C. going back to work; he was not a fool, he knew it was only a matter of time before that happened, but he was a bit worried about how she'd cope once she was under the scrutinising eyes of New York's Elite. "Well, I think it was about damn time he gave it to you... Are you going to accept it?"

"I guess I should," she retorted, her voice sounding somewhat reluctant. "I mean, I want to go back to work, but..."

"You are unsure about going back to society?" Niles offered, and received a gentle squeeze of her hand in return. "I see... Now, love, do you want to go back to work?" Niles asked. He had decided to try and reason together, so as to help her reach a decision that suited her.

"Of course I do! I love Amelia, but I am not a stay at home mum."

"Alright, so I suppose the next question would be if you desire to go back into showbiz."

"You know, I really do... I thought about working in the family business with my father, but it's just not the same. Besides, I miss making directors and choreographers cry,"

Niles rolled his eyes at the mischievous smirk that had plastered itself on her lips, but secretly he smiled inwardly at her remark. "I am not surprised by you missing terrorising poor unsuspecting mortals. Planning on claiming the title of Wicked Witch of the Upper East Side back?"

"You can bet on it, Hazel. Amelia may have softened me, but deep down I am still the Bitch of Broadway."

"And here I was thinking having a child had finally melted the ice block you have as a heart..." he quipped, taking a satisfied and sleepy Amelia in his arms.

"My heart has been melted, lover, only I choose to show my new caring facet to certain people. You should count yourself lucky that I graciously allowed you to see that I am actually human," C.C. shot back, a smile of undiluted happiness soon replacing the mischievous smirk she had been sporting. She just couldn't help it, whenever she observed Niles interact with Amelia an immense happiness filled her soul; the butler was loving and caring... 'Just like a father' she thought to herself for a brief moment before she pushed that annoying little thought to the back of her mind. She shouldn't be thinking that! The man wasn't her father -although she'd love him to be so- and she shouldn't pressure him into taking that roll. Niles was a wonderful man who had accepted the fact she had a daughter and helped her take care of Amelia... she didn't want to scare him off by entrusting him the responsibility of being a paternal figure for Amelia! Deep down, however, the blonde knew he already was one... the love he showed for her daughter was more than simple fondness. For now she preferred not to try to name what Niles was for Amelia, and just enjoy what she had.

C.C. observed Niles as he walked the baby up and down until she had burped; the image was extremely sweet, for Amelia lay half asleep on his broad shoulder as he gently patted her minuscule back. She could also see a little saliva drooling from her little mouth and pooling on his shoulder.

"You being human? Now, that's a good joke! We both know your true nature is anything but human."

"Can it, bib-man, or you won't be welcome in my bed tonight," the blonde warned, although both knew she had no intentions of realising her threat. "Anyway, going back to my dilemma, I do want to go back to the showbiz."

"But?" the butler asked as he laid Amelia in her crib and tucked her in.

"But what?"

"There was an unsaid 'but' in your previous statement. What is it that prevents you from going back? Is it that you don't want to work with Max? Or perhaps there is another reason for your reluctance to accept the partnership?"

C.C. heaved a sigh. He knew her too well... Of course there was something stopping her from accepting the partnership... Going back to society would mean she'd be subjected to unwanted gossip, and probably be judged by her social peers, but did she care? Hadn't she promised herself in Argentina that she wouldn't let their opinion affect her? But it wasn't her who she was worried about; she was worried about Amelia.

"Is it about the little one?" he asked again, bringing her out of her musings.

"Well... yeah. Do you think it's wise? To go back, I mean."

"C.C.," Niles retook his seat and laced their hands together once again. "You can't hide forever. I told you this today, whatever happens, we'll face it together. I know you miss your job, and if that partnership is what you want, then accept it. I've known you for sixteen years, Babcock, and you've always been one tough cookie who's never allowed anyone to tell her what to do, nor cowed into doing something that you didn't agree with. That shouldn't change now, love."

Silence hanged as his insightful words sunk into the blonde's restless mind. He was right, of course, and she knew she was making a big deal out of a simple matter... After all, wasn't she C.C. Babcock? The woman who could make grown men cry? The feared Bitch of Broadway? She had carried out pretty impressive things in her life, and criticism had always served to make her stronger and prove everyone wrong. She had never backed out of any challenge, nor allowed anyone to tell her how she should live her life! She had forged a successful career and became one of the most powerful and influential individuals in Broadway, she had nothing to be afraid of. Hadn't she wanted that partnership for the better part of her time as Maxwell's employee? Was she willing to let it slip to her fingers?

"You are right," she finally addressed the butler, happiness blazing in her eyes. "I shouldn't care about those vultures."

"So that means you are going to accept Maxwell's offer?" Niles asked, helping her up before both checked on a now slumbering Amelia one last time.

"Well, New York has been free from the Bitch of Broadway for an obscene amount of time, don't you think?"

Niles grinned at the blonde woman and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "I certainly agree, love. After all, beasts should always return to their natural habitat."

"Oh, you can bet this beast will go back to where she belongs. I'll call Maxwell in the morning, but now," she purred in a low, velvety voice and started unbuttoning his shirt. "I have other plans in mind..."

Niles arched a questioning eyebrow at her. They had shred a bed for the past month and a half, but they had never _slept_ together. He hadn't wanted to pressure her, and had supposed things would eventually lead to that, but now that his fantasies were about to become true, he couldn't help but to feel a little unsure. "Are you really sure, C.C.?"

"Does it look like I have any doubts to you?" she said as she pulled him to the master bedroom, discarding items of clothing as they went by.

Thinking was becoming increasingly difficult for the butler; she was kissing his neck with abandon, leaving love bites all over it. Her lithe hands were familiarising themselves with his strong back as she shamelessly rubbed her lower body against his. Suddenly, she stopped the onslaught and stared into his eyes. He could see both lust and love dancing in her baby blues, they were fighting for dominance, and were evenly matched.

"Niles, I am sure about this, I love you."

That was all Niles needed. He swiftly picked the blonde in his arms and carried her to her room, where he gently dropped her onto the mattress before taking his place over her. The lovers engaged in a heated exchange of kisses, their lips exploring the body of the other, trying to find the pleasure that lay hidden. They weren't in a rush, though, they had waited for so long to be together... they wanted the experience to last. They discarded the remaining garments in between their kisses, and the moment their bare skins made contact, goosebumps roamed both of their bodies.

"I love you, C.C., so much," Niles murmured to her ear before nibbling at her earlobe.

"I love you too, Niles. Take me, please, just do it."

Her plea was almost desperate, so Niles took a deep breath and finally made them one. They both moaned in pleasure when they were finally connected; it was as though fireworks were exploding inside their bodies, and bliss washed over them as they found the pace that suited them. The intimate and age-old dance their bodies were creating felt new and unique... Never in their lives had it felt so...right. Words weren't really needed, they only whispered sweet nothings into their ears as they slowly reached their peaks; eventually -when Niles knew she was about to fall into the abyss- he hovered over her and watched with utter fascination how she cried out in triumph the moment he pushed her over the edge and fell into oblivion. He followed her soon after, and once his body had stopped shaking, he collapsed on top of her.

They stayed clinched in a tight embrace for what felt like hours, just hearing the wild beating of their hearts and their ragged, irregular breathing. After exchanging a few feather-soft kisses, Niles rolled them over and placed the duvet over them.

"Wonderful," she whispered curling her arms around his torso. "That was absolutely wonderful."

"Ditto, my love," he whispered back brushing his hand up and down her spine.

"If I had known this would be so good, I'd have definitely gotten into your pants years ago!" C.C. teased trailing kisses all over his chest. She stopped just over his heart, and placed her ear against his chest -the constant thumping relaxed her, and she felt the need to hug him tighter when dark memories of his heart attack popped inside her mind. He was really there, and he was never going away.

"I love you," she said in a weak voice.

"And I love you too."

They shared one last kiss before sleep claimed them both, and each of them was quickly immersed in a pleasant dream.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Well... We've reached the end, my friends! This will be the last chapter before the epilogue :) I sincerely want to thank everybody who took the time to read my story, and also to the wonderful people who left reviews. I also want to give a special thanks to TheCrownedLioness, who has accompanied me in this wonderful journey and also took the time to review each an every one of my chapters.**

 **Anyway, I hope you like this one, and -as usual- I'd truly be grateful if you took the time to leave a review. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18**_

Four months had gone by since C.C. had officially agreed to partner with Maxwell, and life seemed to smile at the inhabitants of the Sheffield mansion. Both C.C. and Amelia had been integrated into the busy (and usually eventful) lives of the Sheffields, and soon the blonde producer had discovered that her daughter got along with the twins so -while both Maxwell and C.C. worked- the three toddlers spent their time together and were watched closely by Fran and Niles. The news of C.C.'s return had also reached Sylvia, who had received the blonde with open arms now that she wasn't pursuing her son-in-law and that she had actually formed quite good friendship with Fran. The two women - despite being polar opposites- had bonded over their new maternity, and soon enough they were exchanging, tips, magazine articles, clothes and parenting books between them. It was a common occurrence to find both women spending time together in C.C.'s office whenever either of them had to feed their children or get them to sleep. Both C.C. and Maxwell -who, to his credit, was trying to be a good an attentive friend- had gotten their shoulders to the wheel as soon as C.C. had officially accepted the partnership, and they had finally decided to host a backers party during the last week of November. Coincidentally, Niles' birthday was on that same week too, so both producers had agreed that they should celebrate it by holding both Niles' birthday and the backers party on the very same day. In that way, Niles would be able to enjoy the party without having to work, and C.C. would also be able to officially present him as her boyfriend.

Speaking of their relationship, Niles was pretty much living in C.C.'s house by then... he no longer spent the nights at the Sheffield's, and the majority of his possessions were already in the blonde's mansion; they still hadn't talked about him officially moving in, though, and the butler had chosen to let her bring the subject up in her own time. His bond with Amelia had also gotten a lot stronger, and whenever the child wasn't with her mother, she was being spoiled rotten by the blue-eyed butler. C.C. was fairly certain that Amelia already loved him just as much as she loved her, and -in some way- the couple had reached a wordless agreement that Niles had taken the role of Amelia's father. They needed to discuss this, too, but for now C.C.'s mind was centred in only two things: Niles's birthday surprise, and the upcoming party.

"Come on, Miss Babcock, he will love it!" Fran whined, tugging at C.C.'s arm. "Now, could you please come with me to the mall? I saw these adorable onesies and you will plotz when you see how cute they are! They are perfect for little Mia."

C.C. huffed a breath, mentally counting to 100 so as not to throttle the obnoxious nanny; not to get her wrong, she loved Fran, but sometimes the brunette just got on her nerves. "Nanny Fine, I can't go shopping! Not when I need to finish this goddamned paperwork and go over Niles' gift!"

The former nanny groaned, slumping her shoulders and dropping her petite Chanel purse on C.C.'s desk. Why did she have to be so stubborn? The gift was surely perfect for Niles! The only thing that could make him happier was...

And it was as though a lightbulb had ignited inside Fran's head. Not wanting to give her little plan away, she plopped herself down onto the green leather sofa and took ahold of one of the magazines that were laying on the little coffee table before the love-seat. She knew what she was looking for, and a grin lighted her exuberant features when she found the advertisement she had been searching for. "Oh my Gawd!" she exclaimed, a little louder than necessary.

C.C. -knowing Fran's sneaky tricks- completely ignored her adenoidal exclamation and kept scribbling some notes on a notepad her father had gifted her for her Mothers Day.

The brunette wasn't ready to give up, though, so she dropped the pretence of scanning the magazine and threw it to the busy producer with such bad luck that it impacted just on the side of C.C.'s head, causing the nanny to cow in fear as the now irked producer rubbed the sore spot on which she had been smacked.

"I-I am sorry... but before you kill me open it on page 55! I promise it's something that will surely interest Niles," Fran blurted, scrambling to her feet as the producer reluctantly opened the magazine.

"Listen, Nanny Fine, I believe I said..." her words soon trailed off, and the annoyance that had been evident on her countenance, gave way to a mischievous smirk. "Oh... I see what you mean! Well... I guess a trip to the mall won't hurt me, will it?" C.C. said with nonchalance, eyeing the advertisement of Victoria's Secret new lingerie collection with attention. She wasn't sure if Niles was going to like her original gift, part of her felt it was not big enough, but she could complement it with some sexy lingerie to use when they engaged in their favourite nightly activity. Since they had finally gone to bed together, she had discovered they both possessed an unquenchable libido... She would have never imagined the kind of lover that hid underneath that stuffy British exterior; Niles' passion rivalled hers, and they shared a more than adventurous streak that added a certain spark to their relationship... The couple had soon discovered the thrill of expressing their love in the most indecent places and on the most inopportune occasions; examples of their sinful behaviour there were many, including -for example- locations such as the kitchen, the stairway, the back of the limo... Walmart... they had even dared to make love in the aluminium sheds at Home Depot (and had almost been busted in the process...)!

She supposed that, if her gift wasn't good enough, she'd wait for him in bed, clad in a shiny new piece of lingerie... yeah, that ought to do it!

Sporting a sly smirk, the producer put her glasses away in one of the desk's drawers, and clasped the satin clutch that -until then- had been laying on the far right corner of her ample desktop. "Are we taking the kids?" C.C. asked, heading out of the office, Fran following her hot on her heels.

"Of course not!" the former nanny said, looking at the producer as though the answer was obvious. "I am not going to choose lingerie if my babies are there! Besides, I know both the twins and Mia's sizes, so we won't need to try the onesies before buying them."

The blonde held back a snarky remark; she knew the lingerie was a mere bribe for her to accompany Fran to the mall, but she had to admit it was a fair deal... After all, she loved shopping for both her child and for the thorn in her side. The two women sashayed into the adjacent office, where they found their respective men immersed in their own work. Niles was dusting one of the many bookshelves, while Maxwell went through the script they had chosen to produce for the tenth consecutive time in that afternoon. The faint clicking of the two women stilettos against the polished floor caused both Englishmen to start, but as soon as they laid their eyes on their visitors, dreamy smiles appeared on both of their faces.

"Maxwell, I am done for today! Your wife and I are going shopping," the tall blonde declared as she allowed Niles to envelop her waist with his left arm and peck her cheek.

Maxwell groaned as he pushed the heavy script aside. "C.C., we have a backers party tomorrow! You can't just drop everything to go..."

Fran silenced him with a sweet kiss on his lips as she sat on the edge of his desk, like she had done millions of times during the past six years and a half. "It was my idea honey! And trust me, we've got a pretty good reason," she purred, lightly grazing her nails against his shirt-covered chest.

"She's right, you know, but it's a surprise that can't be shown... in public," C.C. added, a saucy smile playing across her lips as she enjoyed the evident distress they had caused to the palling men before her. After giving their men one last kiss, the two friends sauntered out of the office, sharing an accomplice smile between them.

"What do you think they are up to?" Niles asked in a raspy voice when he heard the front door being shut.

Maxwell glanced at his friend, nervously twisting his wedding band. "I don't know, Old Man. But whatever it is that those two have in mind, it can't be good."

Niles smirked at his childhood friend as he pondered about what their surprise could be. "That's what I am counting on, sir."

* * *

"So, which one do you think Evie will like the most?" Fran asked, holding an adorable white onesie in one hand and a monstrosity in bubble gum pink in the other. Both garments had the same imprint -Born to wear Chanel- which both mothers had found strangely funny.

"Please, Nanny Fine, Eve is just a five month old! Amelia wasn't aware of what she wore at that age, and I am sure your daughter isn't, either," the producer retorted, taking the white onesie from Fran's hand and tossing it to the saleswoman beside them. "You should take the white one, in any case, that pink monstrosity is making my eyes bleed..." C.C. grumbled, gathering a few simple onesies for her own daughter among other garments Amelia would probably need now that the cold weather had made its appearance. They had already made a stop in Victoria's Secret, hence the multiple pink bags that were currently hanging from their arms, dangling and hitting each other as the two women rummaged through the numerous racks that were stacked with baby clothes. C.C. just wanted to leave the damned store, for it was bustling with obnoxiously loud costumers that -just like Fran- made a fuss about what a baby would 'want to wear'. To make matters worse, she was starving, and the only thing she could think of, was about buying a greasy hamburger from the nearest fast food restaurant.

"I guess you are right," Fran eventually spoke up. "That tone of pink was slightly lurid... Ah well, I'll take the white one then. Now, we still have to check out some shoes-"

"Nanny Fine," C.C. said in a dangerously low tone, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt and pulling the brunette to her. "I came here to buy lingerie and onesies. There are too many people here, I am hungry and I've got loads of work awaiting for me. Now we'll pay for our purchase and graciously retire to the nearest food parole. Am I clear?"

The former nanny gulped as she nodded, and obediently rushed to the register, the sales assistant following her closely. C.C. sighed, a content smile dancing across her lips; she had missed the cutthroat facet that surfaced whenever she was royally annoyed. Usually choreographers and stage managers were the poor victims of her wrath, but the scared expression on her friend's face had truly been hilarious.

After both women had payed for the clothes they had selected, they swiftly left the store and walked the short distance to the nearest restaurant, where they sat themselves on the first empty table they spotted and dropped their numerous bags on the empty chair a waitress had generously brought for them along with their menus.

"So, now that we are out of the house," Fran started, dropping the menu aside. "Will you finally tell me what is this super secret gift you've been planning?"

C.C. pursed her lips, not even bothering to tear her eyes from the menu she was scanning. "I wouldn't even dream about telling you. You and Niles are the Captains of Starship Yentaprise, hence I wouldn't trust you with a secret like this one."

"Oh come on, Miss Babcock, I'd never ruin..." Fran trailed off when when C.C. gave her an unamused look, silently requesting her to shut up or change the subject. Knowing when it was of no use to try and squeeze the truth from Babcock, the brunette sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright... Let's talk about another thing if that's what you want. Are you bringing little Mia to the Backers party?"

C.C.'s eyes shot up to the brunette, her lips having hardened into a thin line. She had been debating herself about whether she should take her baby to the party for the past few days, and she still wasn't quite sure of what she'd do. "I don't know, Nanny Fine. I don't want to leave her with a babysitter, but I am not sure if it would be ..." she paused for a second to measure her words, "wise."

Fran scoffed, taking one piece of bread from the bread basket the waitress had just brought. "Please, Miss Babcock, bring her! Gracie has offered to keep and eye on the twins while Max and I are at the party, I am sure she'd be delighted to take care of Mia, too."

"You sure? I don't want Gr... uh... the Little One-"

"Miss Babcock, don't fret! Mia is constantly at home and she is well behaved," the former nanny insisted, sensing C.C.'s reluctance to bring her child didn't have to do with overworking Grace. "Miss Babcock, what is truly worrying you? About bringing Amelia home, I mean."

C.C. heaved a sigh, cursing Fran's intuitiveness. The nanny might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but she certainly knew about feelings. "I don't know, Nanny Fine, I guess I am still a bit unsure about her being seen in society... I am not ashamed of her, mind you, it's just I feel that... If I... Well..."

"You feel that if people see her the tranquil family life that you have carefully built will... oh, I don't know... be jeopardised? Ruined? Be ridiculed?" Fran offered nonchalantly, stunning the tall blonde that was sat before her. C.C. hadn't expected such an insightful retort from the usually superficial woman. The new Mrs Sheffield had, unknowingly, voiced her insecurities with an ease that had thoroughly surprised the blonde producer.

"Well... yeah... I am kinda worried about that," C.C. answered, toying with the cutlery at the same time she casted her eyes downwards, not daring to look at the nanny when her fears were so easily distinguishable in her eyes.

Fran's features softened as she smiled at the normally confident producer. It was not everyday that C.C. Babcock of all people dropped her thick armour and showed a glimpse of her many doubts and fears, and if there was something Fran had learnt about Miss Babcock, was that she was a goddamned badass when she wanted to, but she had a fragile heart, too. Niles had been the first to penetrate her thick barriers, and little by little, his love had helped her tear many of them now... She'd always been a private person, and talking about her feelings wasn't one of her fortes... but she was trying, and that was what mattered.

"Miss Babcock," Fran said softly, "You don't have to hide her! Happiness doesn't come from the outside. Trust me, if you are truly happy, not even the meanest, most callous comments will ruin it for you. Do you know how many people said I was just a gold digger? How many people betted we wouldn't last? Called me a slut? A floozy? I've lost count of it! Yet here I am, married, with two beautiful kids and a loving husband... stop thinking about the outside world, because the only opinions that truly matter, are the ones of the people who love you. Don't be scared, this won't go away, happiness won't slip through your fingers if you don't let it."

As Fran's words washed over her, C.C. heaved a relieved sigh. The nanny was right, she told herself, happiness wasn't something that could be taken away from her by a bunch of disdainful, judgemental assholes... She had earned her happiness; happiness was coming home with Niles, happiness was seeing Amelia smile, happiness was the weekends she spent snuggled in Niles arms, happiness was sparring and pranking the butler... And no one would ever take that away from her.

"Thank you, Fran," C.C. said, smirking at the surprised expression on Fran's face when she addressed her by her name.

"You are welcome, C.C.."

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly for the producer; both Fran and her had done some more shopping (After all, C.C. thought she could humour Fran by visiting a few more stores...) until they had been forced to return to the mansion for supper. Neither C.C. nor Niles dined with the Sheffields, however, for Maxwell had dismissed Niles earlier and the couple chose to retire back to C.C.'s mansion, where Niles had prepared a quick dinner for them to eat while enjoying a movie.

It was a habit both C.C. and Niles had grown to love. There was something oddly satisfying about being snuggled together in silence, with Amelia resting comfortably over Niles' broad chest as they watched a movie. It was exactly what a typical little family would do, and deep down, the two adults felt that's exactly what they were.

"Only two hours left, Butler Boy," C.C. spoke, grabbing some popcorn from the bowl Niles had just brought from the kitchen.

"That's right, Babcock. Two hours and I'll finally know what's that surprise you've been working on. Not to mention that I can't wait to see you in that new lingerie," he said in an undertone, stroking one of her thighs with his free hand.

C.C. grinned, knowing full well that the plans she had for that night would surely thrill the soon-to-be birthday boy. But, she wouldn't be C.C. Babcock if she didn't tease him, now would she? "And who said that the surprise is for you? After all you didn't give me any gifts for mothers day this year... I don't think you deserve a gift if you are such a forgetful old maid."

"Now, now Babcock," he said with faux annoyance. "If I recall correctly, mothers day is in May, and we only reunited in June! How did you expect me to give you a gift if I didn't even know about Amelia back then?"

Not wanting to surrender, the blonde shrugged before haughtily responding. "Oh can it, Brillo Pad! In Argentina mothers day is in October, you could have gifted me something then."

"And how was I supposed to know that?! I am British, not Argentinean," he shot back, bouncing a giggling Amelia on his knee. "Tell you what, to make it up I will give you a gift both on mothers day and on fathers day too!"

"That sounds fair. My dad did also-"

"Da-da!" Amelia cooed, reaching out for the butler, a wide smile on her chubby face. Finding a lack of response from the two adults that were always around her, the baby tired again, this time leaning her little body forward, as though trying to grasp at Niles' shirt. "Da-da!"

Amelia had started to talk a few weeks ago, her first word being -to no one's surprise and C.C.'s greatest happiness- 'Ma-ma'. She had muttered those words just after waking up from a nap; C.C. had been working in her office, her baby safely wrapped in a warm blanket as she rested on her mother's lap. The producer had felt her stirring, and immediately had greeted her awaking child with a wide grin...

 _"Hello there, little one," C.C. cooed, snuggling little Amelia in her arms. "Did you have a good rest?"_

 _The baby gurgled and laughed as a response, provoking a tender smile to tug at C.C.'s mouth. She still couldn't grasp how was it possible for her to love a tiny being with such intensity... The producer was no longer afraid of the extent of her love, though, she now relished the feeling of being able to love so freely, so openly... Amelia had taught her so much about love... about family... she just couldn't understand how could she have such a wonderful daughter._

 _"I see Satan Jr. is awake," Niles quipped as he breezed into the room, bringing his girlfriend a much needed cup of coffee. "Are you two already scheming a devious plan for world domination?"_

 _"No, not for world domination... Just planning on how to make a certain butler's life a little more difficult every day," she volleyed back, stirring at her coffee with her free hand while she held Amelia to her body with the other._

 _" Ah, I knew it! It's not surprising that two creatures of the night are planning on wreaking havoc. Careful, Babcock, at this rate this gorgeous little witch will be having to run from angry peasants sooner than you'd think."_

 _"Hopefully, she will. If she's anything like her mama-"_

 _"Ma..." Amelia babbled, wiggling her little legs, as though trying to grab her mother's attention._

Both Niles and C.C. had been rendered speechless, much like what had happened now... C.C. remembered she had been overwhelmed with emotion and had started crying inconsolably after Amelia had uttered her first word. Niles had held her close, rubbing her back as he whispered just how happy he was for her and what a good mother she was...

But this... this was different.

How had this happened? How could it possibly be? C.C. could feel her body shaking, and she couldn't bring herself to even look at Niles... She felt as though her chest was being compressed, and she couldn't find her voice to even try to excuse her daughter's words. But there was no excuse that could explain Amelia's behaviour, nor the words she had just babbled... C.C. knew the baby loved Niles dearly, but she would have never expected her to call him 'Da-Da'! She had never called Niles that name in front of her, so the only possible explanation was that the baby considered that the blue-eyed butler was her father.

The thought made her want to cry and laugh at the same time... But mainly she now wanted to escape. She hadn't wanted him to feel pressured, she didn't want him to feel obligated to fill in for Amelia's father, she didn't want him to run away...

And what about her daughter? How would she feel if the paternal figure in her life disappeared?

Finally daring to look up at the man next to her, C.C. blinked back her tears while trying to school her emotions. "I... I don't..." her voice faltered, feeling that his piercing blue eyes -now strangely glassy- were looking into her very soul. The producer couldn't read his eyes, she just couldn't elucidate what was going through his wonderful mind. "I am so sorry, I never-"

Niles cut her off by holding the two most important girls in his life to his chest. "Don't say it... Please... Because, if you let me, that's what I want to be for her," he whispered, his own tears rolling freely down his cheeks, dampening C.C.'s golden locks. "I want to be her father."

C.C. pulled away as soon as those words had left his mouth. Her heart was thumping in her chest, and she was no longer able to control the pearl shaped tears of joy, fear and happiness that were cascading from her eyes, smearing her porcelain skin. For a moment the world around them ceased to exist, fading into a formless colourful smudge; it was only them, floating in an undetermined space while their bodies were tangled in a tight embrace. She took her time to trace the lines of the face she knew so well with her lithe fingers, delicately running them over each and every wrinkle that crossed his features. She leaned forward, and planted a soft kiss on his lips, a kiss full of promise and gratefulness. Never in her life had she imagined she'd find such a wonderful man, such a selfless human being to share life with... What had she done to deserve him? What had she done that had earned her a beautiful daughter and the man that was currently holding her? How had she gone without him for over fifteen years?

"Don't cry, please," he whispered, threading his fingers through her hair.

"You mean it?" she managed to choke out, dropping kisses on his face. "Do you really want her? Want us?"

Niles nodded as he sat up and wordlessly asked C.C. to hand him the baby. He held the child in his arms, taking his time to admire her sapphire eyes; Amelia was undoubtedly beautiful, just like her mother... "Yes, love, I want you two. Believe me, C.C., I love your daughter as if she were my very own... I don't know how to explain it, or why it's happened, but I just feel it. I just know that my place is with you two, I just know you two are the family I always wanted," he leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers before he handed the baby back to her, and dropped to his knee while taking a small black box from his pocket. C.C.'s eyes suddenly widened as understanding washed over her like a waterfall... was he...? "I was planning on proposing tomorrow, but I believe this moment is more appropriate," Niles said, not caring to hide the slight trembling in his voice. "C.C. Babcock, I don't know why or how, but I fell under your spell since the very first day you stepped a foot in the mansion. I lost too much time, precious time that will never come back, in pranking and pretending to hate you, and -after having experienced life without you for a year- I finally understood just how much I need you. I love both you and Amelia, and I humbly ask you two things: Will you allow me to adopt Amelia? To give her my name and call her my own? And, secondly, will you marry this poor old butler? The thorn in your side that adores you beyond words can express?"

C.C.'s head was reeling, and her crying had only intensified as his sweet words enveloped her, cocooning her in a warm sense of peace and love. Life had never gone the way C.C. wanted, she had been lost for many years, she had been lonely, she had broken down... But, in the end, it had given her what she needed. The funny little twists life had given, had finally taken to her happy place, to her home... She hadn't believed that she would be able to raise a child or find true love, yet there she was, holding her beloved daughter while the man that she had come to adore like no other was knelt before her, holding a ring and asking her be his.

"Well, I was planning on officially asking you to move in with me... But I guess your ideas are better," she joked, extending her left hand at him.

"Is that a yes?" he stammered, taking her feminine hand in his own.

C.C. nodded. "Yes, lover. It's a yes to both of your questions. I will marry you, and I'd..." she had to swallow a lump in her throat, "I'd be honoured to call you the father of my child."

Not needing any more answers from her, Niles slipped the beautiful platinum band with a diamond solitaire in her ring finger, and feathered a sweet kiss on the back of her hand before standing up and catching her soft lips in a passionate kiss. They only pulled away when they felt the tiny human that C.C. was holding tugging at her father's hair.

"It seems someone wants attention," Niles cooed, tickling Amelia's tummy. "Such a demanding little woman, just like your mother."

"Oh please," C.C. scoffed. "She is emotionally needy, just like her daddy."

Both adults grinned, their eyes glistening with a new wave of unshed tears.

"I love you, Niles."

"And I love you, Babcock."

Those were the last words uttered until the little family retired to their rooms, all of them ready to begin a life together.


	19. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

 _ **Five Years Later...**_

It was a lovely winter morning in Buenos Aires. There was a chill in the air, but the dazzling sun warmed the atmosphere enough to make it pleasant for people to roam the city. The naked trees adorned the sidewalks of the gigantic Capital City; they had been stripped of their leaves by the whistling winter wind. The city was still fairly quiet, although the cocoon of silence was ruptured by the distant sound of squealing children coming from the nearby park, which was flanked by high spring trees of the broads and jacarandaes species. As he neared his destination, Patrick focused on the faint clicking of his shoes against the sidewalk, and gazed at the nearly deserted street. He loved taking long walks early in the morning, it allowed him to appreciate the urban beauty around him, not to mention how much he enjoyed the peaceful aura that seemed to wreathe the usually bustling Metropoli.

The Scottish man crossed the park gates immersed in his musings, still holding the almost empty cardboard cup which contained the dregs of his morning coffee. He tossed it in the first trash-bin he came across with, and continued his way until the nearest park bench. He carelessly plopped himself down onto the wooden bench, and retrieved an old copy of Jorge Luis Borges' 'Labyrinths' from his pocket. The book had belonged to his late mother, and although the binding was creased and the previously white pages had adopted a yellowish hue, it was still well kept.

He had always adored the myriad of intricate poems, short stories, and essays Borges had engendered, and he had been drawn to his peculiar style of writing since a young age; Borges' writing had often been called intellectual, and although it was true, it was also quite simple: the sentences were almost invariably classical in their symmetry, in their balance... His often mysterious and philosophical works enraptured him, and Patrick easily got lost in the marvellous worlds the brilliant Argentinean author had threaded with so much care and detail. Every word had been chosen with extreme care and detainment, successfully achieving that the reader momentarily forgot about reality and happily dived into the immense sea of his fictions.

He brushed his fingers against the front cover, tracing the outline of the title with them. How he loved these mornings... mornings that he pleasantly spent reading, enjoying the winter sun warming his skin.

"Mummy, Daddy, look at me!" a little girl of about six years old screamed, momentarily distracting Patrick from his book. The young girl had long, glossy Hazel hair, and her eyes were a bright shade of blue. Patrick smiled at the kid, for she had practically jumped onto one of the swings and was trying to get as high as her little legs allowed her. He observed a couple approaching the child, walking hand in hand and with a tranquil smile on their faces. They had another kid, perhaps a two or three year old, who was being carried by his father. They looked like a happy little family, and his thoughts momentarily drifted to the times when he had one. His children were older now, and his divorce hadn't been exactly friendly.

He had almost gotten back to his book, when the slender woman caught his attention- he knew that woman...

But it couldn't be...

Claire?!

The Scottish man felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of his one-night-lover, both because he hadn't expected to see her again, and also because she was noticeably pregnant. She was as radiant as she had been the last time he had seen her, only this time she seemed... happier.

"Daddy, push me! I want to touch the sky!" the little girl chimed from the swing, impatiently tapping the air with her foot. She looked very much like her mother, but her eyes... her eyes seemed familiar.

"That's your call, Niles," Claire nudged her husband, who huffed in feigned annoyance before handing her the toddler and walking towards the swings.

"So demanding, just like your mother," the man spoke while poking the child's side.

So this was the guy whose name she had screamed the night they were together... Now that he looked at him more attentively, he noticed the obvious resemblance between himself and her husband: same eyes, height, body type... The only noticeable difference between them was their hair. Patrick couldn't help but to envy the man; in a way he had fallen for the blonde woman, and after their night together he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her for a long time. He now realised she had been drawn to him due to the physical similarity to her husband, and the thought of this was somewhat depressing.

"Come on, Hazel, even I could push Amelia higher!" she teased.

"Babcock, if you think you can do it better than me, then by all means, be my guest and entertain her yourself."

So her surname was Babcock... She hadn't told him her last name when they got to know each other, neither had he, but it was nice knowing a bit more about her.

The blonde flashed a haughty smile and strode to the swing, where her clearly annoyed husband awaited. "Move aside, you grumpy old maid."

Amelia giggled at the nickname. By now she had learnt that her parents always used silly names just to bother each other, and she wanted to do so too!

"Come on, Butler Boy! Let mommy push me!"

"Amelia Brightmore! Only I can call your father Butler Boy," C.C. chastised her daughter, but the gentle smile on her face gave away that she wasn't angry at all.

"But mommy, I want to call daddy funny names too!" the girl whined, and pouted at her mother.

"Look at her! Look at that pout! She clearly is your daughter, Niles."

"I would never doubt it, not even for a second," Niles snaked his arms around his wife's waist, and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. Amelia grimaced at the display of affection happening before her, and walked away from her parents, grumbling about how unfunny it was that her parents had started kissing when she wanted her daddy to play with her. The girl walked to the sand box just in front of Patrick, who was mesmerised by the girl. There was something about the young child that had caught his attention, as though he should know something about her... She reminded him of his eldest daughter, Berenice; at the age of six she had the same hazel hair and the same eye colour, two traits she had inherited from him. How very curious...

"Amelia, come back here!" Niles bellowed, and beckoned for her to come to him. "Mummy is tired and she needs to rest."

"I don't wanna!" the child crossed her arms, and sat on the sand. she was frowning deeply, and judging by the signals, there was a tantrum building up.

Patrick saw from the corner of his eye how Claire began to waddle to the child, but her husband stopped her, and placed a kiss on her temple.

"You go back to the hotel, I'll stay with her for a while." Niles offered.

"Are you sure? I know you are tired too, and she should understand that-" the blonde was silenced when her husband kissed her once again, only this time on her lips.

"I'm sure, sweetheart. We promised her we'd come here, and she deserves it. She's been behaving like an angel lately," Niles' spoke in the soft tone he knew worked whenever C.C. was moody or tired. His wife released a long sigh, but in the end, she gave a soft nod and rose her free hand in defeat.

"Alright, I'll see you in a while then. Say goodbye to daddy, James," C.C. cooed to the little toddler, who waved a chubby hand at his father. The boy was the exact opposite of his sister: he was a carbon copy of his father, but he had his mother's eye and hair colour. Niles gave James a kiss on his forehead and then proceeded to rub C.C.'s growing belly.

"Who would have said we'd have twins, too?" he chuckled.

"Well, Fran was certainly proud of us, we made a 2x1 deal," the blonde retorted, stifling a laugh.

"I made a 2x1 deal when I married you and adopted Amelia."

Both Niles and C.C. stared at Amelia in adoration. The girl was undoubtedly beautiful, and both of them thanked every deity for such a wonderful daughter.

"And how's the deal going so far? Do we make you happy?"

"Deliriously," Niles answered, nose-kissing his wife.

The Scottish man -who had been eavesdropping on their conversation- raised a confused eyebrow. 2x1 deal? She already had a daughter when she married this guy? But how could it...

And it was as though understanding had slapped him in the face. He had been with Claire almost six years ago, roughly Amelia's age, and they hadn't used protection...

Bloody hell...

Oh bloody damned hell!

That's why the girl had seemed so familiar to him... she was his... she was their...

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, nor stop the blonde woman that was currently walking out of the park. He sat there, shell shocked, observing how Amelia played with her adoptive father. The man was so caring and gentle with the girl, and in his eyes Patrick could only see an unmeasurable love for the child.

"Daddy, could you help me build a sand castle?" Amelia asked Niles, who was busy tying Amelia's hair in a ponytail.

"Sure thing, Little One. Do you want me to build it for you while you gather some leaves to decorate it?"

"Of course, daddy! I'll be right back," the child chirped before starting her hunt for the perfect leaves.

Patrick felt the tears -both of anguish and joy- cascading down his cheeks. Poor Claire, he had left her pregnant, and she had had to raise a child alone... Well, it seemed not entirely alone. Part of him wanted to run after Claire, to ask her what had happened, if the girl was really who he thought she was, he wanted to talk to the girl... But part of him knew it wouldn't do the child any good. Clearly this man was taking care of her, and he had taken the role of her father.

"Excuse me, sir, may I have the leaf that's under your foot?" Amelia's voice asked, bringing Patrick out of his musings.

"Uh... sure..." he muttered and moved his foot away so the child could pick up the fallen leaf. My God, she had his eyes, and his same hazel hair!

"Sir, are you ok?" the child asked, and sat by his side.

"Y-yes, kiddo, I am alright," Patrick had to exercise all of his will power not to hug the little girl then and there.

"Why are you crying then?"

"Because I am happy. And sometimes that happens," Patrick said, his voice thick with emotion.

"How strange... that's never happened to me! Well, thank you for the leaf!" Amelia jumped to her feet, and shook the man's hand. The girl then looked between him and her adoptive father, and flashed a bright smile. "You know, you look a bit like my daddy, he is over there, building a sand castle for me."

And it was then when Patrick decided to show true fatherly love. He just smiled, and patted the girl's head. "I am sure your father is a wonderful man. Any father who builds a sand castle and makes you laugh is a great father."

"I know, he is the best! He is the one who convinced mommy to let me stay at the park for a little longer. Well, he always convinces mommy to let me do fun things. Anyway, I should go back now. Have a good day, sir!" Amelia waved goodbye at the man and turned in the direction of the sandbox.

The Scottish man observed the little girl trot back to her father, and chuckled when Niles caught her in a bone crushing hug. Patrick smiled contentedly to himself, she was in good hands... Even if he had just met her, he already loved her with all his heart, and the best for his child was to let her go. It wouldn't do any good to confuse her now, and apparently Claire didn't hide the fact that Amelia had been adopted by her husband... Perhaps, when she was older, she'd come to him. He chose to do the greatest act of love a father could do: he let her go in order for her to be happy. If she wanted him in her life, she'd come to him, but until then, he'd let her be happy with her family.

The Scottish man closed his book and slowly began walking out of the park. Just before he crossed the gates, however, he turned around and caught one last glimpse of his daughter.

"Good luck, dear Amelia. And thank you, Niles, for taking care of her."

And so he slowly walked away, thinking about the recent turn of events... Perhaps it had been fate what had brought them all to that park that morning, perhaps it had been just a coincidence...but either way, he was sure that some things were just meant to be.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **AN: And there you have it! Hope you liked it :) Until the next story!**


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